CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--The Department of Agriculture (DA)-10 has conducted environmental swabbing in some African Swine Fever (ASF)-affected areas in the region in preparation for the recovery and rehabilitation program.

A total of 39 barangays in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro were subjected to environmental swabbing starting February 2022 as part of the process of the hog sentinel program.

DA-10 ASF Focal Person Julesben Caesar Maquiling, DVM said environmental swabbing is the process of collecting samples from the pig pens and surrounding areas of previously ASF-affected backyard raisers.

Said samples were then submitted to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL) of DA-10 subject for laboratory analysis to determine whether it is safe to put sentinel pigs.

Maquiling added that prior to the 20 days of environmental swabbing, one-month cleaning and disinfection were conducted to ensure that the place is clean and safe where the hogs will be placed.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said local government units (LGUs) can declare their respective areas as ASF-free after validation by the provincial veterinary office and/or DA-RFO 10, as stipulated in the DA Admin Order No. 30, series of 2021, “Guideline on the Recovery and Declaration of Freedom from ASF for Local Government Units” signed by DA Secretary William D. Dar.

Collado added that declaration of ASF-free zoning can be upgraded from red to pink or infected to buffer zone following the DA AO 30 guidelines, and eventually lifts zoning status from pink to yellow after the sentinelling program.

He stressed that the rehabilitation program’s purpose is to increase pig production and subsequently stabilize pork supplies and prices.

For this, Collado urged all hog raisers to strictly follow biosecurity protocol in the farm to make the repopulation program successful. (DA-10/PIA-10)