Seventy hogs intercepted at a checkpoint in Quezon City were condemned on Friday, Sept. 27, after testing positive for the deadly African Swine Fever (ASF), the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced.
The DA said the shipment of the hogs was intercepted during a checkpoint along Mindanao Avenue on Sept. 26.
The 70 hogs, the agency stated, have shown clear clinical signs of ASF. The laboratory test confirmed that the hogs were positive for the fatal disease.
DA Assistant Secretary for Swine and Poultry, Dr. Constante Palabrica, underscored the significance of 24/7 checkpoints in curbing the spread of ASF between regions.
“This operation is crucial in stopping the 'ping pong' movement of the ASF virus between the northern and southern regions of the country,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, he called on legitimate traders to ensure that all their transport documents are valid and compliant with regulations.
“Let us work together to protect the animal industry and safeguard the livelihood of Filipino farmers,” he said.
Aside from pigs, the DA said chickens are also being checked to prevent the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
Since the launch of these checkpoints in August 2024, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have intercepted nearly 500 ASF-infected pigs across the country.
The DA said authorities also seized meat products bearing forged Certificates of Meat Inspection (COMI) and tampered manufacturing dates, all of which were immediately confiscated due to the health risks they posed to consumers.
Had these 500 infected pigs passed through the checkpoints, they could have reached key provinces like Ilocos, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, and Cagayan, potentially escalating the ASF outbreak and posing a serious threat to public health, the agency added.