PH making progress in procurement of avian influenza vaccines, says Marcos

The Philippines is making progress in the procurement of avian influenza vaccines, according to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday.

Marcos mentioned this during the opening ceremony of the Livestock Philippines 2023, which highlights the theme of the ecosystem of livestock and poultry supply chain on food security, safety, and sustainability.

"We are also making progress in our procurement of avian influenza vaccines, with the BAI (Bureau of Animal Industry) calling for manufacturers to register their products with the FDA while the guidelines to administer the same are being finalized," Marcos said in his speech.

"As we identify the shortcomings that we have and acknowledge that there is much work to do, we at the Department of Agriculture shall continue to forge partnerships with the academe and private sector to devise solutions to eradicate these diseases that continue to wreak havoc on our livestock and poultry subsectors," he added.

Marcos also said he is happy with the completion of the phase one of the safety and efficacy trials for the African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccines. He said "the BAI has found to produce sufficient antibodies and to be safe for use."

"And as it stands, the Philippine FDA is on track to issue a certificate of product registration for these vaccines while Phase Two trials are underway," Marcos said.

Earlier, the BAI has said the vaccine against ASF was proven effective after the clinical trials in six farms in Luzon.

Marcos said to prevent these diseases, the Philippine government has implemented the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion or the INSPIRE Program.

He said more than 430 farmers’ cooperatives and associations with more than 13,000 members and an estimated 27,500 individual farmers have benefited from this program.

More or less 300 local and international exhibitors showcased their machinery, products, and other services at Livestock Philippines 2023. —KG, GMA Integrated News