Tolentino: PH racing against time to save swine industry from ASF
September 9, 2024
Tolentino: PH racing against time to save swine industry from ASF
The Senate will begin its inquiry on Monday (September 9) on the devastating effects of the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak on the Philippine swine industry, and the supply and prices of pork, which affect millions of Filipino consumers.
Led by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, the inquiry was prompted by Philippine Senate Resolution (PSR) 565, filed by Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino.
In his resolution, Tolentino called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a national state of calamity to address the ASF outbreak, which has reportedly spread to 460 towns in 54 out of 82 provinces across the country.
The senator said that the President is authorized to make such a declaration under Republic Act No.10121, or the 'Philippine Disaster Reduction and Management Act of 2010.'
"This declaration will allow the Department of Agriculture (DA) to utilize two fund sources, namely, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRM Fund) and the Quick Response Fund. This will greatly help in the government's efforts to address ASF and assist local government units (LGUs) in dealing with this crisis," explained Tolentino.
"We are desperately racing against time to save the local swine industry. We need to effectively arrest the further spread of the virus, roll out a national vaccination program, and provide technical and financial assistance urgently needed by our hog raisers," he further noted.
According to PSR 565, the Philippine swine sector is a P200-bilIion industry, and is considered the largest among the livestock subsectors and second contributor to Philippine agriculture, next to the rice sector.
Local hog raisers have reportedly lost as much as P100 billion due to ASF, the resolution added, citing data from AGAP Party List Representative Nicanor Briones.
PSR 565 also cited the warning issued by the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) that the retail price of pork, which has hit as high as P420 per kilo in Metro Manila markets in March, could further increase due to the looming shortage of pork supply.
Last August 30, the DA's Bureau of Animal Industry announced that it has started the controlled trial of Vietnam-made African swine fever (ASF) vaccines in Lobo, Batangas, which is one of the LGUs with the highest cases of ASF.
There is currently no effective vaccine against ASF. The virus is highly resistant in the environment, i.e., that it can survive on clothes, boots, wheels, and other materials. It can also survive in various pork products, such as ham, sausages or bacon.
Tolentino, nanawagan para sagipin ang swine industry, imbestigasyon ng Senado sa ASF outbreak, sisimulan
Sisimulan ngayong Lunes (Setyembre 9) ng Senado ang imbestigasyon sa epekto ng African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak sa local swine industry, at sa suplay at presyo ng karneng baboy, na nakakaapekto naman sa milyun-milyong mamimili.
Pangungunahan ng Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform ang pagdinig, base naman sa Philippine Senate Resolution (PSR) 565 na inihain ni Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino.
Sa kanyang resolusyon, nanawagan ang senador kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na magdeklara ng 'national state of calamity' para maapula ng gobyerno ang krisis na dulot ng ASF, na nakaapekto na sa 460 lokalidad sa 54 na probinsya mula sa 82 lalawigan ng bansa.
Ayon kay Tolentino, awtorisado ang Presidente na mag-isyu ng naturang deklarasyon sa ilalim ng Republic Act No.10121, o ang 'Philippine Disaster Reduction and Management Act of 2010.'
"Bibigyang-daan ng naturang deklarasyon ang Department of Agriculture (DA) para magamit ang dalawang uri ng pondo, ang National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRM Fund) at Quick Response Fund. Malaki ang maitutulong nito para pondohan ang aksyon ng gobyerno para harapin ang krisis na ito, at para maayudahan din ang ating mga magbababoy at mga lokal na pamahalaan," ani Tolentino.
"Nakikipag-karera tayo sa oras para sagipin ang local swine industry. Tatlong bagay ang dapat nating kagyat na gawin: ang pagpigil sa lalo pang pagkalat ng virus, simulan ang programa sa pagbabakuna, at makapagbahagi ng financial at technical assistance sa ating hog raisers," paliwanag pa nya.
Ayon sa PSR 565, ang local swine sector ay isang P200-bilyon na industriya. Ito rin ang pinakamalaking livestock subsector, at ikalawa sa pinakamalaking may ambag sa agrikultura ng bansa, kasunod ng sektor ng palay o bigas.
Ani Tolentino, umabot na sa P100 bilyon ang tinatayang pagkalugi ng mga magbababoy, batay sa datos mula kay AGAP Party List Representative Nicanor Briones.
Binanggit din ng PSR 565 ang babala ng Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) ukol sa presyo ng karneng baboy, na pumalo na hanggang P420 kada kilo sa Metro Manila noong Marso, at inaasahan pang tataas sa mga susunod na buwan dahil sa kakapusan ng suplay ng karneng baboy.
Noong Agosto 30, ipinahayag ng Bureau of Animal Industry ng DA na sinumulan na nito ang 'controlled trial' ng ASF vaccines na gawa ng Vietnam sa Lobo, Batangas, isa sa mga munisipalidad na dumaranas ng matinding dagok dulot ng virus.
Sa kasalukuyan ay wala pang napapatunayang epektibong bakuna laban sa ASF. Ayon sa mga pag-aaral, ang ASF virus ay 'highly resistant' at maaaring mabuhay sa maraming materyal, gaya ng damit, bota, o gulong, habang ibinabyahe ang kontaminadong karneng baboy. Maari rin umanong kumalat ang virus sa mga na-prosesong produkto, gaya ng hamon, sausages, o bacon.
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