The Department of Agriculture fears that the African Swine Fever may now spread outside Rizal initially affected by the serious viral disease after some hog raisers in the province hid their sick pigs from authorities.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said yesterday the dead pigs found at the Marikina River and in a creek in Quezon City last Thursday may have came from the ASF-affected areas in Rizal.
“The problem is at the Ground Zero, many hog raisers hid their sick pigs, and the initial affected areas are the ones spreading the virus, that is now the problem. They started dumping the dead pigs, and it’s really hard,” Dar said.
Dar reiterated his appeal to hogs raisers to immediately report to various government agencies, including the National Meat Inspection Service and local veterinarian, all suspected ASF-affected pigs.
“Please cooperate,” Dar asked.
In Marikina City, 40 dead pigs were found Thursday evening, while six dead pigs were also discovered in a creek in Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City.
Fifty-five dead pigs have been retrieved from the Marikina River as of yesterday afternoon.
City veterinarian Dr. Manuel Carlos said that the hog carcasses were from Barangays Nangka, Calumpang, and Tumana.
Carlos said he has coordinated with the Bureau of Animal Industry to test the blood samples of the dead pigs.
“I am for sure that the pigs were not from Marikina for we don’t have piggeries here,” Carlos added. The city council passed an ordinance prohibiting hog-raising in Marikina in 2003.
Seven areas in Rizal and Bulacan were initially identified by the DA to be affected with ASF.
The national government has released P82.5 million to the BAI to fight the ASF virus that threatens the Philippines’ more than P250-billion hog industry.
Of the P82.5 million, about P31.8 million will be for maintenance of security for detection of meat and meat products at the international airports, P27.7 million will be for testing of samples of meat and meat products, P17.6 million will be for surveillance and monitoring, and P5.4 million will be for awareness campaign.
Last August, an unusual number of pig deaths in backyard farms in unidentified areas in Rizal sparked speculations that the animals have been afflicted with ASF, a highly contagious and disease for pigs for which there is no cure and no vaccine.
African swine fever causes high fever, loss of appetite, hemorrhages, and death among domestic and wild pigs. (Chino Leyco and Jhon Casinas)