To address the current African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak that has severely hit the local hog industry, Senator Cynthia Villar demanded an immediate vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, recently conducted a public hearing on ASF based on Senate Resolution No. 565 filed by Senator Francis Tolentino.
Villar and Tolentino were dismayed over the slow, weak and lack of scientific response of the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) on this problem of the swine industry.
“The public hearing brought together key stakeholders from the agriculture sector–government agencies, mayors of affected municipalities, private sector, and affected farmers–to discuss urgent measures aimed at halting the spread of the disease,” she noted.
“There is an urgent need for the vaccine as a long-term solution on the effects of ASF.”
The veteran legislator further stressed the urgent need for the vaccine as a long-term solution on the effects of ASF.
“The ASF, a highly contagious and fatal viral disease affecting domestic hogs, was first confirmed in the Philippines in 2019. Five (5) years have passed and it continuously plagues the swine industry, causing severe losses in hog populations,” the seasoned lawmaker stressed.
The ASF outbreak in Lobo, Batangas was first reported on July 16, 2024. In August 2024, Lobo was placed under a state of calamity due to ASF, hitting 108 out of 606 barangays, resulting in hog mortality of more than 15,000 hogs,” the lady senator explained.
Based on the BAI-National ASF Prevention and Control Program, this September 2024, 472 barangays in 14 regions were considered “red zone” because of the highest number of affected barangays. These are North Cotabato with 108 cases, Batangas- 96, and Quezon -91.
“The spread of ASF could have been mitigated if the country had implemented a first border control system.”
“The spread of ASF could have been mitigated if the country had implemented a first border control system. Additionally, it was highlighted that the availability of FDA-approved vaccines for hogs could have played a crucial role in preventing the outbreak,” Villar explained.
FDA underscored the need for the vaccines to undergo clinical testing to obtain a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR).
They should also undergo clinical testing to ensure the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.
Dr. Samuel Zacate, Director General of FDA, that right now, there are four vaccines for ASF undergoing local clinical trials.
She told BAI they had conducted a hearing on ASF October 25, 2023 in which the importance of clinical trial on ASF vaccine was cited.
Villar also directed the DA to submit at the end of October the results of the government-controlled field testing in Batangas that will end in September.
