BAGUIO CITY (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR) continues to provide assistance to hog farmers whose livelihoods were affected by African Swine Fever (ASF).
Dr. Karl Glenn Kigis, section head of the Plant and Animal Disease Surveillance and Early Warning Section of DA-CAR, said they continue to receive indemnification requests from affected farmers.
Farmers whose hogs were culled due to African Swine Fever (ASF) will receive indemnification funds from DA.
“Ongoing ang screening. Fina-fastrack namin kasi marami po talagang natamaan last year,” Kigis said.
The cash incentive for culled weaners is P4,000 per head, P8,000 per head for fatteners or growers, and P12,000 maximum compensation per head for breeders, sows or boars.
Kigis explained that the documentary requirements are forwarded to the Bureau of Animal Industry before being endorsed to the DA Central Office for funding.
He urged the hog farmers who were affected by ASF to report to their municipal agriculture or veterinary office for immediate action.
“Talaga pong kailangan nating mag-report in case may tamaan o magkasakit ang ating baboy. Kailangan po nating mag-report sa ating agriculture office o veterinary office sa ating lugar para po makapag-conduct ng sample collection. At the same time, makapagbigay po kaagad or makapag-forward tayo kaagad ng results na maibabalik sa field para ma-contain ang ASF, mapigilan ang pagkalat sa lugar,” he urges.
There is no active ASF case in the backyard farms in the region at present. However, an ASF case was recorded at the slaughterhouse in Baguio City in January 2025.
Kigis said the hogs that tested positive for ASF came from Region 3. He explained that the pigs tested negative in the initial screening test conducted but the samples in the post abattoir tested positive for ASF. The province of Benguet, which is in charge of quarantine, and Region 3 were already informed about the case.
Kigis added that the DA-CAR continues to monitor backyard farms because the normal trend of ASF for the past five years is that cases tend to increase towards the second quarter of every year.
“So ‘yun ang binabantayan natin at the same time, ‘yun din ang ating ina-advocate sa mga farmers na continuous pa rin ang paga-advocate ng biosecurity measures,” he said.
The biosecurity protocols include no swill feeding, no fresh roughage or feed harvested in ASF-infected areas, no access to animals for visitors, no bedding harvested in ASF-infected areas, no sharing of equipment unless thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, no contact with wild and other pigs, changing footwear when entering the pen, and buying your animals from trusted sources. (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)
