MANILA – Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Wednesday said additional AVAC live vaccines will be procured from Vietnam to prevent the further spread of African swine fever (ASF) in the country.
The agriculture chief made the statement after the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) reported the sharp increase in red zones or barangays with active ASF cases, spiking to 458 barangays as of August 21 from only 24 barangays on May 17.
“Just to update you, meron din tayong procurement na (we also have a procurement of) up to 150,000 doses na susunod na (for the next) batch,” he said in an ambush interview.
DA will try their best to roll out the first ASF vaccination in Lobo, Batangas on Aug. 30, despite a complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against the import and trials of AVAC ASF live vaccines, he said.
“We are trying our best to have everything signed and approved by Friday. We will try our best this Friday. Kung may ma-delay, baka (If there’s a delay, perhaps) one or two days more, but the target is this Friday,” he said.
The said complaint includes an allegation of collusion between KPP Powers Commodities Incorporated (KPP) executives, the distributor of AVAC live vaccines in the Philippines, and former and incumbent officials of the DA, BAI, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“Medyo natakot iyong mga kasamahan natin sa Bureau of Animal Industry dahil dito (Because of this, our colleagues in the BAI were somehow frightened). So, I will have to replace several people who are willing to do the job,” he said, maintaining that the said vaccines have already secured a certificate of product registration (CPR) from the FDA.
Tiu Laurel also expressed his dismay as possible delays may worsen the impact of ASF on the country’s hog industry.
“Iyong nagdemanda sa amin sa Ombudsman, you know, parang economic sabotage siya kung tatanungin sa akin. Nadi-delay lahat ito dahil sa kanya o kung sino man iyan. Lalong mas maraming baboy na mamamatay at maapektuhan (Whoever filed charges against us in the Ombudsman, you know, it looks like an economic sabotage if you would ask me. Everything is being delayed because of whoever that is. More hogs will die and be affected),” he said.
To date, there are already 10,000 doses of AVAC live vaccines in the country secured through an emergency procurement, which will be rolled out in Batangas.
Overall, the DA aims to distribute at least 600,000 doses of ASF vaccines in the country’s red zones using its PHP350 million fund.
“Kapag maubos yun, tapos may outbreak pa, I think meron pa kami siguro mahuhugutan na (If we have utilized it all and there’s still an outbreak, I think we still have other sources for an) additional PHP300 million. So, maybe up to 1.2 million vaccines,” Tiu Laurel said.
As of Aug. 21, the BAI reported 115 municipalities in 15 regions under red zones, with the highest number of affected barangays in North Cotabato at 87, Occidental Mindoro at 69, Batangas, 66, and Quezon at 47.
New ASF cases in Northern Luzon, which is Metro Manila’s top hog and pork producer, were also logged in eight barangays in Angandanan, Santiago City, and San Guillermo in Isabela; four barangays in Enrile, Cagayan; one barangay in Dupax del Norte in Nueva Vizcaya; and one in Mexico, Pampanga. (PNA)