The Department of Agriculture is preparing the emergency procurement of vaccines for African Swine Fever following its presence in certain areas in Batangas.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Wednesday '' the local government units may need to declare a state of emergency in these Batangas municipalities to enable the DA to respond swiftly to the situation and release funds for the urgent purchase of vaccines.”

According to the DA, local government units have the authority to declare a state of emergency, and such a declaration would be confined to the affected areas to control the ASF outbreak.

Assistant Agriculture Secretary Dante Palabrica, in-charge of swine and poultry, said the DA may need to purchase at least 10,000 doses of ASF vaccines for the emergency response. He said this could shorten the purchase period by about two weeks.

The DA said its Bids and Awards Committee and Bureau of Animal Industry will draft the necessary resolution to formalize the emergency procurement process.

Laurel also underscored DA's continuing efforts against ASF, a stubborn virus that continues to adversely affect local swine production despite intensive biosecurity efforts since 2019.

He noted that aside from vaccines,"the DA will also provide hog producers in Batangas with industrial lime to treat areas where condemned swines are buried."

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed on Wednesday that the municipalities of Lobo and Calatagan in Batangas were already placed under state of calamity due to the ASF outbreak.

Aside from Lobo and Calatagan, DA spokesperson and Undersecretary Arnel De Mesa said based on the latest update of the Bureau of Animal Industry the outbreak has already spread to other municipalities in Batangas which includes Lian, Rosario and "resurgence" of cases in Lipa.

Laurel said the DA is coordinating with the police and the military to enforce check points to prevent the spread of ASF-infected animals. Robina Asido/DMS