ILOILO — The provincial government has yet to launch its sentinel program aimed at recovering from the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.
As confirmed by Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) chief Dr. Darel Tabuada, the implementation is stalled due to the slow submission of documentary requirements by 14 municipalities. These documents include lists of farmer beneficiaries and a checklist of prerequisites such as biosecurity measures.
The municipalities designated to implement the sentinel program are San Miguel, Barotac Viejo, New Lucena, Santa Barbara, Mina, Dingle, Concepcion, Batad, Banate, Oton, Janiuay, Leganes, Zarraga, and Lambunao, with a total of 835 farmers set to benefit. These areas no longer have ASF cases.
Tabuada explained that the funding necessary for purchasing sentinel pigs cannot be released until all 14 municipalities complete and submit their documents to the Provincial Accounting Office.
“We prefer to transfer the funds to the municipalities as soon as possible, but we are dependent on the completion of documents required by the accounting office. It’s crucial for our local government units (LGUs) to comply with these requirements,” he said.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has allocated P10 million for the sentinel program across the 14 municipalities. This funding is specifically for purchasing two piglets per farmer beneficiary, costing P6,000 each.
The urgency of starting the program is underscored by its potential to boost the swine inventory of the province. As of July 9, 2024, the swine population stands at 106,420 heads, a sharp decline of 171,001 heads or 64% since the ASF outbreak in October 2022. Prior to the outbreak in September 2022, the inventory was at 277,421 heads.
Despite these challenges, there has been a gradual increase in swine numbers due to backyard farming in municipalities unaffected by ASF, raising the province’s self-sufficiency level from 35% during the outbreak to 71% in July 2024.
“If the increase in swine inventory continues, there is a possibility of reaching 100% sufficiency level. The start of the sentinel program would significantly contribute to this goal,” said Tabuada.
He also emphasized the resilience of the ASF virus, which can survive up to 1,000 days in frozen meat, highlighting the critical need for strict farm biosecurity measures to prevent further outbreaks.
“We need to adjust and accept that ASF is in our environment, so we must protect our farms,” Tabuada said, expressing confidence in the high survival rate of the sentinel program once initiated, backed by the PVO’s inspection of biosecurity measures implemented by the farmer beneficiaries./PN
