Abra lone district Rep. JB Bernos called on his fellow lawmakers to provide funds for subsidizing the newly-approved African swine fever vaccine to help small farmers ensure their livelihood’s viability.
“I hope that we grant the Department of Agriculture’s request for funding in the proposed budget for 2027 to subsidize ASF vaccination for backyard pig farms. Malaki po ang maitutulong ng pondo para maprotektahan ng mga magsasaka ang kanilang mga alagang baboy at ang kabuhayan nilang nakasalalay rito,” Bernos, a member of the House of Representatives agriculture and food committee, said.
The DA has requested a P1 billion-allocation to subsidize backyard pig farms’ ASF vaccination, after the Bureau of Animal Industry’s approval of the commercial sale of AVAC ASF LIVE, developed by AVAC Vietnam Joint Stock Company. This is the first ASF vaccine available for fatteners, or pigs raised for pork production.
Bernos also expressed hope that the DA’s recently-launched Animal Vaccine Development Program will successfully develop a local vaccine against ASF and other diseases.
Testing for a second vaccine, South Korea-produced PROVAC, is also underway, according to the DA.
Bernos emphasized the need for wide access to the ASF vaccines to prevent the spread of “a disease that has decimated our country’s livestock and contributed to inflation and food insecurity.”
Since hitting the country in 2019, ASF has cut down the hog population from 13 million to around 8 million, with outbreaks being reported in 76 out of 82 provinces.
“These vaccines could prove important in ensuring the health of our hog industry, which will in turn protect our consumers from the rise in price of this staple food due to supply instability,” the solon said.
He also expressed hope that the DA’s recently-launched Animal Vaccine Development Program will successfully develop a local vaccine against ASF and other diseases.
“Siyempre, iba pa rin ang gawang-Pinoy dahil siguradong angkop ang lunas na lilikhain sa mga partikular na strain ng sakit na dinaranas ng ating mga hayop. Naniniwala ako sa kakayahan ng ating mga researcher at scientist na lumikha ng sarili nating bakuna.”
