THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it would not be declaring a state of national calamity despite a surge in African swine fever (ASF) cases.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said enhanced border controls and emergency inoculation programs were enough to manage the outbreak. He also assured that the situation would not affect pork supply or increase prices.
"Unlike the initial response to ASF in 2019, which involved extensive lockdowns of entire towns, the new strategy focuses on isolating only those farms that test positive for the disease," the DA said in a statement on Tuesday.
The agency earlier announced that it was setting up checkpoints to prevent transport of animals suspected to have ASF.
Other measures include the immediate purchase of 10,000 vaccine doses for emergency inoculations and increased indemnification for farmers who surrender infected pigs to mitigate the impact on the hog industry.
Compensation has been raised from P5,000 to P12,000 per pig to encourage hog raisers to report and cull diseased animals instead of selling them.
Last July, the Food and Drug and Administration approved the regulated use of a vaccine against ASF. In line with this, the Bureau of Animal Industry will use 600,000 doses in areas with active cases.
The DA is also implementing a hog repopulation program to help minimize the impact of ASF on the swine industry's output.
"A liberalized regime on the import of pork is also expected to stabilize supply and prices of meat products despite the ASF scare," it said.
Tiu Laurel said P150 million was available for the ASF response, including funds for purchasing vaccines and supporting the indemnification program.
Following concerns over the condition of procured vaccines, Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa assured the public that the government would not be accepting expired vaccines.
"Both for the emergency purchase and for the regular procurement will be new doses coming in and will have a validity for another two years," he added.
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