IGINIIT ni Sen. Cynthia Villar ang pagkakaroon ng vaccine na aprubado ng Food and Drug Administration (FDA) para matugunan ang African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.

Nag-public hearing si Villar noong September 9 base sa Senate Resolution No. 565 na inihain ni Sen. Francis Tolentino tungkol sa ASF.

Dismayado sina Villar at Tolentino sa mabagal, mahina at kulang na scientific response ng Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) sa problema ng swine industry.

“The public hearing brought together key stakeholders from the agriculture sector—government agencies, mayors of affected municipalities, private sector, and affected farmers—to discuss urgent measures aimed at halting the spread of the disease,” ani Villar.

Binigyan diin ni Villar ang matinding pangangailangan sa bakuna bilang long-term solution sa epekto ng ASF.

“The ASF, a highly contagious and fatal viral disease affecting domestic hogs, was first confirmed in the Philippines in 2019. Five years have passed and it continuously plagues the swine industry, causing severe losses in hog populations,” sabi ni Villar.

“The ASF outbreak in Lobo, Batangas was first reported on July 16, 2024. In August 2024, Lobo, Batangas, was placed under a state of calamity due to ASF, hitting 108 out of 606 barangays, resulting in hog mortality of more than 15,000 hogs,” dagdag pa ng senador.

Base sa BAI-National ASF Prevention and Control Program ngayong September 2024, may 472 barangays sa 14 rehiyon ang ikikonsiderang “red zone” dahil sa pinakamataas na bilang ng apektadong barangay. Ang mga ito ang North Cotabato, 108 na kaso; Batangas, 96; at Quezon, 91.

“The spread of ASF could have been mitigated if the country had implemented a first border control system.

Additionally, it was highlighted that the availability of FDA-approved vaccines for hogs could have played a crucial role in preventing the outbreak,” paliwanag ni Villar.

Inihayag ng FDA na kailangang sumailalim ang bakuna sa clinical testing para magkaroon ng Certificate of Product Registration (CPR).

Nararapat ding sumailalim ito sa clinical testing para tiyakin ang kaligtasan at pagiging epektibo ng bakuna.

Sinabi ni Dr. Samuel Zacate, Director General ng FDA, na sa ngayon, may apat na bakuna para sa ASF ang sumasailalim sa local clinical trials.

Binanggit ni Villar sa BAI na nagkaroon ng pagdinig sa ASF noong October 25, 2023 kung saan iginiit ang kahalagahan ng clinical trial sa ASF vaccine.

Inatasan din niya ang DA na magsumite sa katapusan ng Oktubre ng resulta ng kanilang field testing sa Batangas na magtatapos sa September.