Over 2K Philippine barangays reeling from ASF effects, says task force

A total of 2,361 barangays in the country have been affected by the African swine fever, the director of the Task Force on Swine Diseases said Saturday.

In an interview on "Dobol B sa News TV," Director Reildrin Morales said the presence of the ASF, which has been found in 12 regions in the country, led to the culling of over 442,000 hogs.

“Pero ang isa pong gusto kong idugtong dito ay marami na rin po ‘yung mga lugar na previously affected sa ASF na sa ating record ay wala na pong naitalang kaso for the last 90 days,” he said.

“So hindi lang po natin maibagay ngayon ‘yung eksaktong numero... pero ito po ay significant po ‘yung number nila at siguro po sa mga darating na panahon ay ibibigay po namin ‘yun sa inyo,” he added.

Morales said the government has distributed aid worth P1.3 billion to hog raisers to help them recover from ASF's impact.

“Sa ngayon po ang na-release po ng government ay umaabot na po sa P1.3 billion. Ito po ay galing sa contingent fund ng presidente atsaka sa quick response fund ng Department of Agriculture,” he said.

Morales, however, said not everyone has received the aid.

“At gusto po nating humingi ng paumanhin sapagkat alam niyo naman po ‘yung ating mga kasamahan sa region ay meron naman tayong pinag iingatan. ‘Yun pong audit,” he said.

“Bina-validate ng mabuti ito. ‘Yung mga report na ito at nagkataon po, ang report po sa akin umabot po sa cutoff nung December ‘yung huling bayarin dapat, so napag sarahan ng libro,” he said.

The Philippines is already coordinating with the United States for the conduct of vaccine trials against the ASF.

However, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the procurement of the anti-AST vaccine has been delayed. —LBG, GMA News