Pushing for a unified approach in the fight against the African Swine Fever, the Department of Agriculture – Caraga through its Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS) conducted yesterday, September 23, the Virtual Regional Forum on ASF to brief its partners and stakeholders on the latest ASF situation in the region.

The forum is in collaboration with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) – Northern Mindanao, National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) – Caraga, and the Regional ASF Task Force.

The Local Government Units (LGUs) from five provinces of the region through its Provincial/Municipal/City Agriculture or Veterinary Offices, Agriculture and Fishery Council (AFC) and its regional, city municipal counterparts, Swine Farmers and Cooperative Associations (FCAs), and other stakeholders served as the target audience of the forum.

The latest data on ASF affected areas, DA Indemnification Cash Assistance rollout, and launching of the INSPIRE program were a few of the salient points discussed by the Regional ASF Coordinator Dr. Apple Jaromahum.

The DA-Caraga has allocated P6.4 million pesos for its ASF Cash Assistance Program for 114 affected hog raisers from 16 municipalities from the provinces of Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, and Surigao del Norte. Four (4) of which had been distributed starting last May until August 2021. Five (5) municipalities are still in queue for distribution targeted on the third week of September 2021, and the remaining six (6) are waiting for the notice of budget availability.

For the INSPIRE Program, the DA’s three-year repopulation program for the swine industry, P13 million pesos was allocated for the Caraga Region, from that amount, P3 million pesos will be allocated for sentinel approach which is the limited placement of pigs to ascertain if there is still ASF Virus present in a test area. A five (5) million pesos donation will also be granted to the province of Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.

Meanwhile, data of the Swine Mortality Insurance Enrollment in every LGU and Insurance Policy Guidelines were discussed by PCIC-Northern Mindanao Marketing & Sales OIC Roy Arthur Alamban.

The PCIC-NorthMin has enrolled a total of 14, 235 farmers insuring a total of 39, 778 heads of hogs. As of September 15, 76 farmers had already claimed its indemnity in a total of P949 thousand pesos.

In pursuant to the Memorandum from the Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, starting July 1, 2021, assistance to the hogs culled due to ASF will be facilitated by the PCIC through availing of the Swine Mortality Insurance.

Moreover, Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo said that as the virus already emerged in some areas of the region, it is rightful for hog raisers to adjust to the new normal which is the biosecurity measure in order to prevent their hogs from getting affected. He also stressed that for those affected raisers, a stringent biocontrol measure has to be done in order to repopulate.

“We can adjust to the new normal in swine production and we can cushion the impact by preparing in terms of reprogramming our livestock industry and by availing of insurance coverages from the PCIC,” RED Monteagudo added.

In terms of swine rehabilitation and recovery, Regional Livestock Program Coordinator Jekem Sanchez said that in order to fasten the processing of samples, the program has allocated a budget for the construction of the bio-molecular laboratory to be built in Taguibo, Butuan City. In addition, to heighten the entry and exit points of the region, a quarantine facility will be built in Trento, Agusan del Sur. (Kent Warren H. Fugoso/ DACaraga-RAFIS)