Photo credit: PROPORK

African Swine Fever (ASF) is making its presence felt in Batangas, and the Department of Agriculture (DA) is pulling out all the stops to curb its spread. Unfortunately, eight towns in the province are now affected, including Lobo and Calatagan, which have already declared states of calamity. The other towns on high alert are Lian, Rosario, Talisay, Lipa, Tuy, and San Juan.

Arnel de Mesa, DA's spokesperson, didn’t sugarcoat the situation. "Medyo mabilis ito, almost 40 barangays yung nagkaroon agad ng ASF sa walong bayan ng Batangas," he reported, adding that the virus is spreading rapidly, with new cases popping up. This resurgence in areas like Lipa, previously declared ASF-free, has raised concerns about the virus’s tenacity. “Lipa na-declare na yan before na libre na sa ASF, so we're seeing resurgence,” de Mesa noted, pointing to possible factors like the movement of livestock and recent floods in some areas.

In response to the crisis, the DA is gearing up to launch a vaccination drive for hogs in Batangas by the third week of August. With 10,000 vaccines ready for emergency procurement, the agency is also distributing test kits to keep a closer eye on potential ASF cases. Alongside this, industrial lime will be used in depopulation efforts to manage affected pig populations and halt the virus’s spread. The DA is also tightening biosecurity, setting up checkpoints to ensure no infected animals slip through the cracks.

"Batangas as of today ay mayroon lagpas 1 million population, practically 10% of the existing population sa buong bansa, very important and we need to protect the remaining hog," de Mesa emphasized. Despite the daunting challenge, he assured the public that the DA remains on top of the situation.

Meanwhile, the impact of ASF is already being felt in the market. The Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines reports that pigs in nearby areas are selling at rock-bottom prices due to fears of infection. ProPork Chairperson Nicanor Briones highlighted the steep drop in farmgate prices, noting, “One month ago, nasa P220 per kilo ang farmgate price. Ang mga inahing dito, yung may mga bayan na may outbreak, binibili lang P2,000 ang isang ulo."

As the situation escalates, ProPork is urging the government to declare a national state of emergency or calamity. With the holiday season just around the corner, there are growing fears that pork prices could soar if the outbreak isn’t contained swiftly. Briones didn’t mince words: “Mga 150 billion na nawawala sa ating alagang baboy ang halaga. Eh, ngayon may panibagong outbreak, bumabalik. Dahil pag ganitong tag-ulan, mukhang mabilis ang pagkalat ng ASF. So, para maproteksyunan ang lahat.”