ASF spreads to 460 towns, 54 provinces

MANILA, Philippines — Illustrating how serious the African swine fever problem has become, latest data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed that ASF has now been detected in 460 municipalities in 54 provinces.

As of April 3, only 20 provinces remained ASF-free. The BAI identified them over the weekend as Batanes, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Masbate, Aklan, Antique, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Biliran, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

The provinces battling to contain the spread of ASF in their territories are Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Apayao, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Aurora, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Marinduque, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Cebu, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Norte, Daval del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands and Maguindanao del Sur.

Earlier, Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary Rex Estoperez, who also serves as the department’s deputy spokesman, said that ASF is now a national concern as President Marcos is fully abreast of the extent of the outbreak.

The BAI said that out of the country’s 17 regions, only the National Capital Region (Metro Manila) remains free from ASF. The latest region to report an ASF outbreak is the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which had its first case of the virus in South Upi, Maguindanao de Sur.

Estoperez said the DA is following the protocol provided by the World Organization for Animal Health. It involves the depopulation of the 500-meter radius of the area affected by the ASF.

At present, the DA is reaching out to local government units, particularly the province of Cebu to harmonize the implementation of measures to prevent the further spread of the virus, he said.

In Cebu, the 12 areas affected by ASF are the cities of Bogo, Carcar, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Cebu, Talisay and municipalities of Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga and Tuburan.

Retail price of pork remains high amid the outbreak of ASF. Based on the monitoring of the DA, the retail price of pork liempo ranged between P330 and P420 per kilo; and pork ham, between P290 and P360 per kilo.