The Cebu Provincial Government is working to restore confidence in the local hog industry by pursuing “green zone” classification for areas previously affected by African Swine Fever (ASF), as the province continues surveillance efforts to maintain its disease-free status.
Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy said the province’s ASF program has shifted from simply preventing the entry of the disease to strengthening the hog sector and supporting raisers affected by previous restrictions.
The Provincial Veterinary Office continues to collect blood samples from different local government units every week to validate Cebu’s ASF-free status.
“We continue our ASF surveillance… The results coming from the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory are negative,” Vincoy said.
According to the office, laboratory results have consistently shown no confirmed ASF infections in Cebu despite ongoing monitoring across municipalities and cities.
Vincoy also cautioned against immediately attributing hog deaths to ASF, noting that livestock mortalities may occur due to other causes under normal production conditions.
She said veterinary teams have monitored areas that recently raised concerns, but laboratory examinations did not show signs consistent with ASF infection.
The province is now aiming to secure green zone status for areas that were previously tagged as ASF-positive in 2023, which would help ease hog movement and support the recovery of the swine industry.
“We want nga ang katong tagged before pag-2023 nga mga positive areas kay padung na gyud siya sa green zone. Mao na gyud na atong target,” Vincoy said.
She added that the initiative supports Governor Pamela Baricuatro’s goal of helping backyard hog raisers regain access to markets.
“That’s also the goal of Gov. Pamela to help the backyard raisers nga maka-move out na sila ug makabaligya na sila sa Cebu,” she said.
The Provincial Veterinary Office continues to coordinate with barangays, municipalities, and cities to strengthen biosecurity measures and enforce animal movement regulations with the help of the Philippine National Police.
The province is also conducting consultations with stakeholders to reinforce preventive measures and prepare for the next phase of ASF management once current movement restrictions expire.
So far, 16 local government units have secured Recognition of Active Surveillance for African Swine Fever (RAS-ASF) certification from the Bureau of Animal Industry after obtaining consistently negative laboratory results.
The certification allows qualified backyard raisers to transport and market hogs outside their localities without additional laboratory testing or separate veterinary health clearances.
Five more LGUs — Borbon, Tabuelan, Tabogon, San Remigio, and Barili — have submitted blood samples required for RAS-ASF certification and are awaiting approval.
The provincial government said expanding ASF-free areas remains part of its efforts to strengthen disease prevention while helping revive Cebu’s hog industry.
Photo courtesy of Philippine Star
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