The Department of Agriculture (DA) will start delivering piglets to areas in Pangasinan that have been affected by the African swine fever (ASF) on the third week of this month as part of its hog repopulation program.
In an interview during his visit to Pangasinan on Friday, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said about PHP38.2 million has been allotted for the repopulation program in the province following the ASF outbreak.
“The sentinels will be observed for about 90 to 120 days and then will be tested. If the tests turned negative, then the area will be declared free and they can start hog repopulation,” Dar said.
He added that the process of declaring an area as ASF-free has been reversed, as instead of the DA, the local government units (LGUs) would now confirm first if the area is no longer ASF-affected.
“The LGUs will be the first to declare if the area is ASF-free and it will be validated by the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry so the LGUs will raise the level of surveillance. The Provincial Veterinary (Office) will observe and recommend to the governor if indeed the areas are already free,” Dar said.
In an interview, provincial assistant veterinarian Dr. Jovito Tabajeros said they have already prepared for the ASF recovery program by cleaning and disinfecting the areas where the sentinel hogs would be placed.
The DA provided the ASF test kits, along with reader and laboratory equipment, power sprayers, ASF responder kits, and disinfectants.
“One month for disinfection and 20 days (of) environmental swabbing to know if it is already safe to put sentinel pigs in these areas. And now, we could already start with the process of sentinel (animal testing),” Tabajeros said.
The beneficiaries have been clustered and each cluster would be given 45 heads of hogs with feeds and vitamins, among others.
He said there are 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.
Tabajeros confirmed that no new ASF case has been recorded in the province. (PNA)
