ILOILO CITY – Western Visayas is now on the road to recovery from the impact of the African swine fever (ASF), with the Department of Agriculture kicking off its sentinelling program in the region.
Iloilo Provincial Veterinarian IV Wendy Degillo said Tuesday that the swine dispersal started in five barangays in the municipality of Oton on October 4.
“Actually, in the whole Western Visayas, Oton is the first. They have 225 farmer-beneficiaries, but the delivery of piglets is by batch. Last Friday, they distributed 73 piglets for five barangays,” she said in an interview.
The recipients came from Barangays Mambog, Bita Sur, Bita Norte, Caboloan Norte, and Caboloan Sur.
Each farmer is entitled to three piglets, but only one was released on Friday.
The initial piglets will be tested and if found negative, that is the only time that the recipients could get their additional two piglets.
Before the dispersal, there was a thorough disinfection of their pigpens, and an environmental swabbing was conducted to ensure the place was free from the virus.
Degillo said the piglets were also tested to ensure they were negative for the virus.
“All recipients are practicing biosecurity level 1. They have been oriented about it; it’s now up to them how they put it into practice,” she said.
Degillo said a weekly monitoring will be conducted by the barangay officials and trained barangay biosecurity officers.
At present, 17 of the 28 local government units affected by ASF in Iloilo have progressed from red (infected zone) to pink or buffer zone.
These are Oton, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, New Lucena, Leganes, Dumangas, Ajuy, Batad, Concepcion, Barotac Viejo, Mina, Banate, Lambunao, Dingle, Janiuay, San Enrique, and Zarraga.
They also encouraged the 11 others to comply with documents to progress to the pink zone.
In the meantime, data from the National ASF Prevention and Control Program showed that 44 of the 76 LGUs hit by ASF have progressed to pink from red.
Further, two LGUs from the region upgraded from pink to yellow.
Those in the pink zone can already start the sentinelling. (PNA)