Killing the pigs
P80-M losses due to African Swine Fever
COMMERCIAL and backyard hog growers in Davao Region have incurred an estimated P79.81 million in revenue losses after the dreaded African swine fever (ASF) wreaked havoc in three towns of Davao Occidental and two barangays here since the first case was reported on Jan. 28, agriculture officials said.
Authorities have to cull over 14,000 hogs in the affected areas.
But Department of Health (DA XI) regional director Ricardo Oñate bared that as of yesterday, they have slaughtered 6,903 hogs.
Oñate said they have depopulated 5,638 out of the targeted 7,551 hogs in Don Marcelino in Davao Occidental; 858 out of the 4,138 hogs in Malita, also in Davao Occidental; 178 out of the 398 hogs in Barangay Dominga, Calinan; and 229 out of the 2,000 hogs in Barangay Lamanan, also in Calinan.
They were targeting to cull at least 10,000 hogs on Saturday.
In a press conference at the Acacia Hotel Davao on Saturday, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the pigs affected comprised closely 1% of the total population at 941,000 in Davao Region, citing data from Philippine Statistics Authority.
He said the pigs within the one-kilometer radius of areas that reported an outbreak would be culled in compliance with the “1-7-10” protocol to manage, contain, and control the spread of the ASF.
The protocol requires that all pigs within the onekilometer radius of infected farms will be culled, limit animal movement within a seven-kilometer radius, and require swine farms within a 10-kilometer to submit a mandatory report on the disease, according to DA XI director Ricardo Oñate Jr.
“For the initial outbreak in Davao Occidental, all the tracing back analysis would point out that the outbreak was caused by swill feeding, food waste that had been contaminated with the virus in the pork or pork products, transferred this virus to the local population of hogs in Don Marcelino,” he said.
They are still investigating how the virus reached Calinan, but swill-feeding is also suspected to be the reason.
Dar added that the DA and LGUs have been closely coordinating to “really manage, control, and contain” the disease and prevent it from spreading to other parts of Mindanao.
“We have advised all LGUs to increase their monitoring and surveillance,” he said.
He said provincial veterinarians have been deployed to undertake massive surveillance on backyard and commercial piggeries to check with the owners for possible symptoms of the infection among their livestock.
“It’s a massive monitoring and surveillance mechanism that must be in place. LGUs should really further strengthen their efforts,” he said.
Dar said that affected hog raisers will be compensated to help them recover from the hogs they lost.
Aside from the DA’s cash assistance, the local government of each ASF-hit area also allocated financial aid to help them start anew, he added.
Dar also said hog raisers can avail of DA’s P30,000 credit per hog raiser, which is payable within three years with zero interest.
He said a suckling will be provided to the hog raisers so they can begin again with their business after the ASF epidemic in the affected areas is totally eliminated.
“They can use this for other livelihood opportunities, but we are recommending them to return to hog raising after the ASF outbreak has gone down,” he said.
He said that hog raisers must wait three months or more after the ASF elimination before operating again.
In Davao City, the City Council passed a resolution on Friday declaring Barangays Dominga and Lamanan, Calinan District under a state of calamity due to ASF, and subsequently passed a proposed measure to granting authority to the City Mayor Sara Duterte to utilize a portion of the 30% quick response fund out of the 5% disaster risk reduction and management fund of the City Government of Davao to grant P20 million as financial assistance to the affected hog raisers.