The Antipolo City local government said that it has set up several Livestock Quarantine Checkpoints as part of its efforts in ensuring that all livestock and poultry products being brought in and produced by the city are free from Bird Flu and African Swine Fever (ASF). Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares said that all checkpoints, including the one set up in Sitio Cabading, are manned by officials from the City Veterinary Office (CVO) who thoroughly check the produce and the documents of livestock traders such as the Bird Flu Free Certification being issued to poultry farmers and the African Swine Fever (ASF) Free Certification being issued by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI). He urged the public to get in touch with the CVO by calling 8689-4514, or visit the old barangay hall of San Isidro in San Jose St. cor. Lorenzo Sumulong Memorial Circle. They can also reach out via the CVO's Facebook page. According to the BAI, only 20 provinces are still free from ASF as of April 3. These are: Batanes, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Masbate, Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Biliran, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. Provinces affected by the ASF include Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Apayao, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Aurora, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Marinduque, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Cebu, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Norte, Daval del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Maguindanao del Sur. In Cebu, the 12 areas affected by ASF are the cities of Bogo, Carcar, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Cebu, Talisay and the municipalities of Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla, San Fernando, Sibonga and Tuburan. The agency said that only Metro Manila remains free from the said disease. In February, President Marcos ordered the BAI to allot P177.78 million in funds for the government’s Avian Influenza Protection Program which is designed to roll out mitigating measures before and during outbreaks of bird flu. The agency explained that it is now implementing intensified measures to address the issue which include close coordination with LGUs and stakeholders as it carries out disease investigation activities and surveillance of quarantine zones. Also part of the process is to systematically conduct culling and disposal of affected poultry animals at the first sign of detection. The BAI also immediately implemented depopulation, intensive surveillance in the 1-kilometer quarantine zone as well as cleaning and disinfection at a layer poultry farm in Santa Maria, Bulacan after confirming it tested positive for HPAI Subtype H5N1 on January 31. Since the first outbreak in early 2022, the bureau has reported six cases overall from Candaba and Masantol, Pampanga; Sta. Maria, Bulacan; the Cagayan Valley; Sultan Kudarat, and Sampaloc, Manila.