Iloilo won’t close borders despite confirmed ASF cases nearby

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The provincial government of Iloilo will not close its borders to neighboring provinces despite laboratory-confirmed cases of African Swine Fever (ASF), saying strict farm biosecurity — not border shutdowns — is the primary defense against the virus.

Provincial Veterinary Office head Daryl Tabuada said Tuesday, June 23, that while ASF has been confirmed in Capiz towns near northern Iloilo, the situation is not cause for alarm.

“Let us not panic about it because what we only need is our farm biosecurity, and we can assure that if our biosecurity is in place, ASF will not hit us,” he said.

Since ASF first struck the province in 2022, the government’s biosecurity campaign has remained continuous.

“Our focus right now is farm biosecurity because if you can see, we have not totally eradicated ASF in the province. We cannot say that we are ASF-free,” Tabuada said.

Some farmers are already complying with biosecurity protocols, particularly those enrolled in sentinel programs under the Department of Agriculture and those covered by the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, which requires biosecurity compliance.

Farm biosecurity measures include restricting farm access, maintaining visitor logs, requiring clean clothing and footwear, disinfecting vehicles and equipment, and preventing contact between pigs and wild animals or unauthorized persons.

Tabuada also discouraged the use of swill feeds or untreated food waste as swine feed.

He noted, however, that some farms have “relaxed” their practices, which may have contributed to hog mortalities reported in Dumangas in Iloilo last May.

Relaxed practices include failure to change clothing and footwear and the absence of disinfection protocols.

Tabuada said symptoms observed in Dumangas — diarrhea, respiratory issues, and loss of appetite, mostly among piglets — have not been confirmed as ASF because no laboratory tests were conducted.

“We cannot zero in on the ASF because there is no confirmatory test. But based on the signs and symptoms, ASF is more respiratory, hemorrhage in the skin, and systemic infection,” he said.

NO SHIPMENT BAN

While ASF cases in Capiz are considered a “threat,” Tabuada said the province will not close its borders because protocols governing the shipment of swine products are already in place.

“It is not a time for us to panic when we say we will close the province. The province we will not ban, including the Negros Occidental. What we will work on is that they can ship as long as the shipment is healthy,” he said.

Requirements before swine products may be transported include a certificate of free status from the source farm confirming the absence of disease, as well as a veterinary health certificate attesting that the transported goods are disease-free.

The same requirements apply at slaughterhouses before swine products may enter.

Tabuada also noted that based on their records, hog movement from Capiz to Iloilo is minimal.

“The movement of swine is from Negros Occidental going to Iloilo to Capiz. That is the flow,” he added.

Even before laboratory-confirmed cases emerged in Capiz, no border closure was implemented, Tabuada said, adding that monitoring personnel are stationed at key entry points — including seaports in Dumangas, Estancia, and Bay-ang in Ajuy.

Coastal barangays in northern Iloilo have also been placed on alert to monitor possible livestock movement from affected areas.

“Our ASF virus is very resilient. It can remain infectious for long periods, especially in frozen pork. That is why it is difficult to declare an area ASF-free,” he said.

Tabuada clarified that the absence of an ASF-free status does not mean there is active risk, but rather that an area has not been reclassified from red zone to pink zone.

Of the 28 areas previously classified as red zones, nine remain under that designation due to non-compliance with required measures.

A red zone is an ASF-infected area with confirmed outbreaks. A pink zone is a buffer area surrounding a red zone where ASF is not detected but where movement controls and tighter biosecurity remain enforced.