DA seeks meeting with Mindoro officials for unified strategy vs. ASF

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is seeking to convene concerned local government officials in the two provinces of Mindoro Island to discuss the establishment of new protocols to control the spread of African swine fever (ASF).

This came after Occidental Mindoro Gov. Eduardo Gadiano officially confirmed the presence of ASF in the province on Monday.

ASF outbreaks have so far been confirmed only in the towns of San Jose, Santa Cruz, and Rizal.

In an interview on Monday, DA Undersecretary Deogracias Victor Savellano said he has spoken with key officials individually, and efforts are underway to get government stakeholders together to discuss appropriate quarantine measures.

He pointed out that there is a need to revisit the quarantine measures currently in effect on the island because ASF has managed to cross over from Oriental Mindoro to neighboring Occidental Mindoro.

It can be recalled that as early as Oct. 9, 2023, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial council) of Oriental Mindoro already placed the towns of Roxas and Mansalay under a state of calamity because of ASF, but the disease has eluded Occidental Mindoro until now.

"I already talked to the (Occidental Mindoro) governor and other concerned officials…we agreed that we really ought to sit down and talk about this in person very soon. We (the DA) have offered local government units (LGUs) the resources and expertise of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to deal with the outbreaks…but the challenges related to containing ASF are many," Savellano told the Philippine News Agency.

He explained that a main contributor to the seemingly unabated spread of the ASF virus is the presence of unscrupulous pork traders who circumvent government health protocols.

The outcome of direct discussions with Mindoro officials will also decide when and how the release of the department's quick response fund (QRF) for addressing ASF can be made, the undersecretary added. (PNA)