Sec. Dar: ASF outbreak in Pangasinan controlled
AGRICULTURE Secretary William Dar said the reported outbreak of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in Pangasinan has been defectively controlled but monitoring continues to avert its spread anew.
Dar told local newsmen last Thursday that he urged that mayors and the hog raisers in towns hit by the ASF to continue to monitor the situation of the sentinel pigs for 90 to 120 days to ensure there is no more virus resurfaced.
He said a particular area can be deemed categorized as pink zone (from red zone) if the sentinel pigs are not within the 90-120 day period.
Trading of pork will be allowed in pink and yellow zone area.
Meanwhile, he said DA is keeping a close watch on the grant of import clearances under Executive Orders 133 and 134 that involves arrival of some 140,000 metric tons (of imported swine meat) within the next three months that will help lower the prices for the benefit of consumers.
He added that the Bureau of Animal Industry, is already testing two prototype vaccines for ASF in 10 private companies.
In a ceremony in Lingayen, Dar led the rollout of the Swine Repopulation, Rehabilitation, and Recovery (R3) Credit Program and the awarding of assistance to farmers affected by the animal disease, which has continued to threaten the livelihood of thousands of small, medium, and large-scale hog raisers since 2019.
Swine R3, undertaken in partnership with the Development Bank of the Philippines, has an initial funding of P12 billion. It offers a maximum loanable amount of up to 100 percent of the total project for the local government units, and 70 percent for private companies.
Dar said the DA cannot solve the ASF problem by itself, and stressed that the support from the LGUs is necessary and crucial.
Gov. Amado Espino III received more than P38-million worth of power sprayers, ASF Responders Kit and initial Recovery/Sentineling Project from the DA.
These were turned over to municipal agriculturists in 18 local government units in Pangasinan. (Leonardo Micua/ Eva Visperas)
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