The Department of Agriculture (DA) has cleared the provinces of Aurora and Quezon from avian influenza (AI).
The DA is also creating an inter-agency technical working group (TWG) for the vaccination of livestock against African swine fever (ASF).
Under Memorandum Circulars Nos. 38 and 39 series of 2023 signed by Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban on August 23, the provinces were declared free from AI as affected areas yielded negative test results for the virus for more than 90 days.
Prior to Aurora and Quezon Province, DA also declared Capiz, Batangas, Ilocos Sur, Rizal province and South Cotabato as AI free, earlier this year.
Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, last year, Quezon Province produced a total of 70,563.90 metric tons (MT) of chicken or 3.8 percent of the 1.87 million MT produced by the entire country for the period and 455.24 MT of duck or 1.7 percent of the 26,250.52 MT total duck produced in the Philippines.
Quezon Province also contributed 11,661.25 MT of chicken eggs or 1.6 percent of the 708,499.62 MT total eggs produced in the country for the period as well as 1,552.42 MT or 2.8 percent of the Philippines’ overall duck eggs production last year at 55,635.05 MT.
For the similar period, Aurora province produced last year a total of 544.25 MT of chicken equivalent to 0.03 percent of the entire production as well as 75.12 MT of duck which is 0.3 percent of the country’s overall production.
Last year, Aurora province also produced 183.89 MT of chicken eggs which is 0.03 percent of the total production apart from 77.05 MT of duck eggs that is 0.1 percent of the country’s overall production for 2022.
Under Special Order number 1027 series of 2023 also signed by Panganiban on August 23, DA said the inter-agency TWG for the vaccination of livestock against ASF is being formed to streamline processes, in the event of vaccine availability.
The special order also cited the need to have a “systematic review” of how vaccines and vaccination can be integrated into ASF control and prevention policy of the country, with the recent efforts in development of vaccines and ongoing vaccine trials and evaluations in the country.
The order added the review must be “based on a sound understanding of ASF epidemiology as well as social and economic impact of the disease.”
The DA order also said that member of the technical working group will be composed of experts from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Philippine College of Swine Practitioners, Philippine Veterinary Drug Association, Philippine College of Veterinary Epidemiologists, Philippine College of Veterinary Public Health, National Academy of Science and Technology and from the Provincial, City, Municipal Veterinarians League of The Philippines.
Among the group’s key responsibilities include the discussion of study approaches to ASF vaccinology relative to the country’s ASF situation; provision of technical advice to BAI relative to results of ASF vaccine trials being conducted in the country, with involvement from inception, progress and final outcome; and the preparation of guidelines and protocol on the use of ASF vaccine including testing and movement of vaccinated animals in the country, among others for the approval of the DA.
Latest BAI data showed as of June 29, nine regions, 16 provinces, 58 municipalities and 187 barangays have active ASF cases.
