Negros occidental: The Department of Agriculture-Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) is set to convene the Regional African Swine Fever (ASF) Task Force next week, in a bid to strengthen and coordinate efforts to curb the transmission of the highly contagious hog disease affecting the region.
According to Philippines News Agency, hog deaths, primarily attributed to ASF, have been reported in Negros Occidental, including the highly urbanized areas, since June. DA-NIR Regional Executive Director Jose Albert Barrogo stated that the task force meeting is scheduled for next week and has already initiated steps by convening the Regional Management Committee in Negros Oriental to form the Regional ASF Task Force.
Earlier this week, Director Barrogo led a coordination meeting in Negros Occidental to bolster the implementation of the regional action plan against ASF. The plan aims to protect the swine industry and mitigate the disease's impact on the livelihoods of hog raisers. The meeting included officials and representatives from various DA offices, along with the Negros Occidental Provincial Veterinary Office and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, where they discussed establishing a more organized and coordinated ASF response mechanism.
Key measures presented during the meeting included reviewing ongoing task force structures and special orders from local government units (LGUs), developing the organizational structure and terms of reference, conducting an inter-agency meeting for the task force's final organization, and issuing a special order upon approval.
The discussions also included the Bureau of Animal Industry's proposed ASF Indemnification Program, which seeks to secure the region's eligibility for funding from the ASF Indemnification Fund. Strengthening biosecurity measures in the region was emphasized, involving reviewing LGUs' executive orders on livestock movement, offering technical recommendations for policy implementation, and promoting active ASF surveillance and other certifications.
The stricter enforcement of biosecurity measures includes issuing certificates of free status on ASF and transport clearance. On Thursday, the Provincial Veterinary Office reported 2,130 hogs had died from various illnesses in 13 LGUs across Negros Occidental, though it remains unclear how many were due to ASF. In the urban areas, the City Veterinary Office confirmed four ASF cases in two villages, following reports of at least ten hog deaths in three barangays the previous week.
