ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) revealed that some interventions and support to the affected localities are in place amid the regionwide spread of African Swine Fever (ASF).

As to the status of claims payment for ASF to date, paid claims account to P7 million for the 667 heads given to 348 hog raisers and those approved but still under check preparation is at P4 million for 433 number of heads and 306 hog raiser-beneficiaries.

Recent claims for the new notices of loss are at P14 million for the 982 insured heads covering the 982 affected hog raisers.

In a DA press conference dubbed “Sugilanunay sa Agrikultura” held here on June 23, DA OIC Regional Director Jose Albert Barrogo confirmed that the animal disease has already affected the Province of Antique, known to be the last ASF-free province in Western Visayas, after serum samples from Hamtic town submitted by the Antique Provincial Veterinary (ProVet) Office to the DA Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL) in Iloilo City on June 20 tested positive for ASF.

for the creation of local policies and advisories against ASF.

DA further revealed that despite the implications of the animal disease, swine production is still at the fourth rank of the livestock and poultry sector performance in the region for the first quarter of 2023, contributing at least 12.07% to the national scale.

For the part of the provincial and municipal LGUs, each has already allocated and distributed funds to assist the ASF-affected farmers, especially the backyard hog raisers for the repopulation and rehabilitation of the hog industry in the region. (AGP/EAD/PIA 6)