“Since September 2019, the Municipality of Rodriguez, Rizal, has not shown any signs nor traces of the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus. Thus, we are declaring your town free from ASF,” said Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, before hundreds of hog raisers, farmers, their families, and local officials in Barangay Macabud, Rodriguez, Rizal.

It is one of the six barangays, in Rodriguez, where the first ASF incidence was reported and confirmed in September 2019.

Secretary Dar, joined by DA Regional 4A director Arnel de Mesa, awarded various livelihood projects to the 700 ASF-affected hog raisers, hundreds of other farmers, and municipal officials, all worth more than P97 million pesos.

“We are providing you about three times worth the cost of culled pigs last year, amounting to P35 million,” said Secretary Dar, on February 21, in Barangay Macabud.

Veterinarians and technical persons from the DA Region 4A, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and LGU of Rodriguez technically cleared the town free from ASF, after there were no reported occurrence since its first outbreak in September 2019, and after several ‘sentinel’ pigs remained healthy after months of being exposed and taken cared of in the “ASF ground zero” in the Philippines.

Secretary Dar said the experience of Rodriguez, where a total of 7,300 pigs were culled in September 2019, will serve as a model for other communities affected by ASF. He said the cooperation between the DA regional field office, provincial and municipal governments should be copied and replicated by other ASF-affected communities.

“Kung ang mga nag-aalaga ng baboy ay nakikipagtulungan sa kani-kanilang lokal na pamahalaan at isasangguni agad sa mga beterinaryo at kinauukulan ang nakikitang problema ay madaling masosolusyunan ang ASF at iba pang mga sakit ng alagaing-hayop,” said the DA chief.

DA Region 4A director Arnel de mesa said the P97-million worth of funds and livelihood projects include the following:

• P35 million as indemnity to 700 hog raisers, at P5,000 per culled pig;
• P21.5 million to thousands of Rizal rice farmers, at P15,000 each under the DA-ACPC Survival and Recovery Assistance (SURE Aid) program; and
• P40.6-million worth of other interventions and projects. This is composed of 105 cattle, 305 goats, 30,000 native chickens, 3,100 broilers, including feeds and biologics, and 1,500 of quails with 15 units of cages.

Secretary Dar also directed DA-RFO4A director De Mesa to identify areas where the Solar-Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) will be established this year. ###

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Reference:

Noel Ocampo Reyes
DA Spokesperson and A/Sec for Comms
and Media Affairs
CP: 09204889686 or 0566694611
Phone: 89298183