ASF-RECOVERY PROGRAM

SOME 135 backyard hog raisers in Eastern Pangasinan received sentinel pigs and feeds from the Department of Agriculture and the provincial government under the government’s African Swine Fever (ASF) recovery program

Provincial Veterinarian Jovito Tabarejos said the ASF-affected beneficiaries are from the towns of San Quintin, Tayug, Natividad, Asingan, and Umingan.

Each beneficiary received three pigs and 11 bags of feeds worth P50,000.

Tabarejos said the sentinels will be tested after the 90 to 120 days of observation.

“If tested negative, then the area will be declared free and they can start hog repopulation,” he said adding that the first 40 days of observation will be supervised by the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian.

Prior to the sentineling program, the beneficiary-backyard hog raisers prepared for the program by cleaning and disinfecting the areas where the sentinel hogs would be placed.

The DA provided the ASF test kits, reader and laboratory equipment, power sprayers, ASF responder kits, and disinfectants.

He said one month for disinfection and 20 days (of) environmental swabbing determine if sentinel pigs would be safe in the selected areas.

The program will be extended to other hog raisers affected by ASF in other districts of Pangasinan or a total of 116 clusters in the towns of Agno, Anda, Bani, Bolinao, Dasol, Infanta, Binmaley, Sual, Labrador, Lingayen, Mangatarem, Calasiao, Sta. Barbara, Mangaldan, Asingan, Natividad, Umingan, and San Carlos City.

Tabarejos confirmed that no new ASF case has been recorded in the province.

Last year, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said about P38.2 million was allotted for the repopulation program in the province following the ASF outbreak.

Meanwhile, Dar said the process of declaring an area as ASF-free has been changed –  it is now the local government units that will confirm if the area is already ASF-free. (Jerick Pasiliao)

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