Ilocos hog raisers reeling from ASF

DAGUPAN CITY , Philippines — African Swine Fever (ASF) has affected 29 towns and cities in Pangasinan and four towns in La Union, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“The ASF is hard to contain and control,” DA regional Executive Director Lucrecio Alviar Jr. said in yesterday’s virtual forum of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

The provinces of Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte are not affected by the swine fever.

About 11,035 hogs have been depopulated as of Aug. 6 in Pangasinan and La Union, according to Florentino Adame, DA regional regulatory division chief and field officer.

More than 1,500 hog raisers are affected by the swine fever.

Earlier, the government indemnified hog raisers in 12 towns affected by the virus.

About P22 million had been paid out as indemnification pay, Adame said.

Hog raisers received P5,000 each per pig culled. Only a maximum of 20 hogs per raiser are paid .

They also received livestock such as cattle and chicken to help them start their livelihood.

The DA will step up monitoring and quarantine checkpoints to prevent movement of infected hogs, Adame said, adding the supply of pork in the region remains adequate despite the situation.

He advised hog growers not to raise pigs yet and wait for six months until the DA’s serologic survey on remaining hogs around the outbreak areas is completed.