The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) has announced that Bohol remains African
Swine Fever (ASF)-free after marking a span of fifteen (15) days without any newly
reported cases outside the 100-meter radius following its occurrence in Purok 6, San
Vicente, Pilar town, and adjacent areas.
Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Stella Marie “Bing” Lapiz said that surveillance and mitigation
measures are being implemented based on Executive Order 41 and Memorandum No.
74 issued by Governor Aris Aumentado.
She also assured the public that the PGBh is committed to keeping Bohol ASF-free.
Dr. Anthony Damalerio of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office
(PDRRMO) also assured the public that the PDRRM Council is monitoring the situation
and is in full support if there is a declaration of an ASF outbreak.
Damalerio said that the PDRRM Council is ready to use the utility funds if needed to
prevent the spread of ASF.
The province of Bohol has maintained its status as an African Swine Fever (ASF)-Free
zone despite the recent outbreak of the disease in one of its towns.
The municipality of Pilar, where some pigs tested positive for ASF last month, has also
managed to contain the virus and prevent it from spreading to other areas, according to
Provincial Administrator Aster Caberte.
According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), ASF is a highly contagious and fatal
disease that affects domestic and wild pigs.
It can cause severe economic losses to the swine industry and pose a threat to food
security.
There is no vaccine or treatment for ASF, and the only way to control it is by
implementing strict biosecurity measures and culling infected animals.
The first case of ASF in Bohol was detected on July 25, 2023, when some pigs in Purok
6, Barangay San Vicente, Pilar died and their blood samples tested positive for the
virus.
The DA-Regional Office No. 7 confirmed the results and informed the Provincial
Government of Bohol and the Municipal Government of Pilar about the situation.
Governor Aumentado immediately issued Executive Order No. 41, declaring Purok 6 as
an “ASF Infected Premises” and imposing a lockdown on the area.
He also identified the ASF Quarantine and Surveillance Areas, which included the
neighboring barangays of Pilar and some coastal towns.
He ordered the culling of all pigs within the infected premises and the disinfection of all
vehicles and equipment entering and exiting the quarantine zones.
Aumentado also banned the movement of live pigs, pork products, and swine by-
products within and outside the province.
Mayor Wilson Pajo of Pilar also convened his Municipal ASF Task Force and
coordinated with the Provincial ASF Task Force led by Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Stella
Marie Lapiz.
They implemented the guidelines set by the DA-Administrative Circular No. 02 series of
2022, which stipulated that a farm, barangay, city, or town can only be considered as a
Red (Infected) Zone if:
(1) it has been confirmed to have ASF,
(2) the virus has crossed or infected other barangays, and
(3) the virus has crossed or infected another barangay within fifteen (15) days.
Since no other case of ASF was reported in Pilar or in any other part of Bohol after
fifteen days from the initial outbreak, the City of Pilar and the Province of Bohol
remained as Green (Free) Zones.
This means that they are free from any restriction or regulation related to ASF.
Aumentado expressed his gratitude to all the stakeholders who helped in containing the
ASF outbreak in Pilar.
He also urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious deaths or
symptoms of pigs to their local veterinarians or authorities.
He assured that his administration will continue to support the swine industry and
protect the health and welfare of both animals and humans in Bohol.
NO ASF OUTBREAK?
Pilar Mayor Wilson Pajo has assured the public that there is no outbreak of African
swine fever (ASF) in his municipality, except for one barangay where the disease was
detected and contained.
In an interview with Ardy Araneta Batoy over DYTR’s Open Forum program, Pajo said
that the blood samples taken from the pigs in Barangay San Vicente tested positive for
ASF, but the rest of the town was free from the viral disease.
He said that the national government sent veterinarians to reinforce the local efforts to
conduct testing and quarantine measures in the affected area.
“We have an intervention from the National Veterinary Office. They did an extension of
the testing up to 500 meters radius from the positive area and the results were negative.
The confirmatory test also showed that the ASF virus is still negative outside of 500
meters,” he said.
Pajo said that he ordered an emergency barangay assembly in three nearby barangays
– San Carlos, Kasagbakan, and Pinaguad – to inform the residents about the situation
and to conduct an information education campaign.
He said that they also agreed to take blood samples from the pigs within one kilometer
radius from Barangay San Vicente as a precautionary measure.
Pajo said that he was confident that no pigs from Barangay San Vicente were
transported to other places in the province because of the strict checkpoint manned by
the police and barangay tanods.
“They are 24 hours at the checkpoint. They do not allow any pigs to enter or exit the
area. I can assure you that the disease will not spread to other municipalities,” he said.
He added that they were vigilant and not complacent even if they were strict with their
protocols.
“We must be vigilant. We should not be complacent even if we ourselves are strict with
vigilance because we don’t know where you will exit the viral disease from the viral
zone. He will not wait until you arrive. All the samples that have been made are negative
after 15 days,” he said.
Pajo also said that the people and their livelihoods were not affected by the quarantine,
but they were disinfected along with their paths and the entire area as much as
possible.
He said that they had protective equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE)
for those who were involved in the culling and burying of the infected pigs.
“The people who wear PPE are also involved in the gathering of those they entered
because the local people are no longer allowed to participate in the work of the pigs that
should be gathered, so those who wear PPE there are also area allowed. You think they
need to wear PPE arun there is no blood from the pig you try directly on their body then
at last they throw away their PPE,” he said.
He advised his constituents to follow the guidelines and cooperate with the authorities to
prevent any further spread of ASF in their town.
“I ask our brothers and sisters in Pilar to follow our instructions and cooperate with us.
We are doing this for our own good and for our town. We can solve this problem if we
work together,” he said.
INCREASED ASF VIGILANCE
Governor Aris Aumentado has issued a memorandum on August 7, 2023, ordering all
city and municipal mayors in the province of Bohol to heighten their vigilance and
strengthen their border control against the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus.
The memorandum came after the confirmation of an ASF outbreak in Purok 6, San
Vicente, Pilar, which is the first and only case in the province so far.
The governor said that the Bohol ASF Inter Agency Task Force, in coordination with the
local government units of Pilar and San Vicente, is doubling its efforts to contain the
disease in the affected area.
Aumentado expressed his hope that there will be no other ASF cases in other
barangays of Pilar by August 9th, the 15th day when the first case erupted, so that the
province will not be declared as an ASF infected zone and remains to be ASF-Free
province, according to existing Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry
(DA-BAI) guidelines.
The governor also reminded the mayors of his previous issuances and ordered them to
do the following:
- Continuously activate the City/Municipal ASF Inter Agency Task Force in conducting
information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns, advocacy, surveillance,
trainings, and logistical preparations; - Create and/or mobilize Barangay ASF Inter Agency Task Forces; and
- Implement and conduct strict island/coastal surveillance and checkpoints along the
coastal municipalities and barangays to prevent the entry of live pigs, pork meat, and
pork products coming from the ASF infected provinces and to prohibit/regulate the entry
of live pigs, pork meat, and pork products coming from the island barangays of the
province of Bohol into mainland Bohol.
Gov. Aumentado urged all stakeholders to cooperate and support the ASF prevention
program of the province to protect the swine industry and ensure food security.
He also assured that the provincial government will provide assistance and
compensation to the affected hog raisers.
CASES FILED VS PORK TRANSPORTERS
Meanwhile, the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) has filed criminal charges
against a barangay official and his spouse for illegally transporting pork products from
Cebu to Bohol on June 13, 2023.
The case was filed by Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Handel Lagunay and Provincial
Veterinarian Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz at the Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Tubigon.
The alleged violators, Ma. Sol Balbin and Barangay captain Epifanio Balbin of Poblacion
Centro, were caught transporting two boxes containing assorted pork products in their
vehicle.
The Balbins violated Provincial Ordinance No. 2022-11, which prohibits the transport of
pork products from ASF-infected areas to Bohol.
The ordinance was passed in response to the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus, which
has devastated the pig industry in the Philippines.
Aumentado has consistently emphasized the importance of compliance with ASF
prevention measures.
He expressed disappointment at the involvement of barangay officials in the illegal
transport of pork products, and urged strong legal action to deter such violations.
The ASF virus has reached Bohol soil, and at least 87 pigs in San Vicente in Pilar town
have died and been killed to prevent the spread of the virus.
The PGBh is taking a number of steps to prevent the further spread of ASF, including
implementing Executive Order No. 41, which establishes a 7-kilometer radius around
the Index/Infected Premise (IP) in San Vicente where mitigating measures such as
monitoring, disinfecting, and surveillance are being carried out.
The PGBh has also issued Memorandum Order No. 2023-0074, which urges Bohol
mayors to strengthen vigilance against ASF entry, especially in the coastal areas, and
to mobilize their respective ASF Inter-Agency Task Force.
The case against the Balbins is a reminder of the importance of compliance with ASF
prevention measures, Capitol said.
The PGBh is committed to taking all necessary steps to protect the pig industry in Bohol
and prevent the spread of ASF, the Capitol added.