The government expects the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve the commercial use of African swine fever (ASF) vaccines in the first quarter of next year, a move seen as reinvigorating the hog industry.

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the FDA is now getting closer to approving the vaccine for commercial use, revising the status from the current modified release use.

Currently, the industry’s response to the ASF threat is limited by government control, specifically through its vaccination program.

“Hopefully, by first quarter of next year,” he told reporters when asked about the timeline.

Tiu Laurel said there are three ASF vaccines currently being tested, which are likely to secure FDA approval.

“The vaccines are now under process and are close to completion. The rest, we’ll [DA] take over after that,” he told Manila Bulletin.

Following the potential commercial use approval of the ASF vaccines, the FDA will no longer handle animal health products, including vaccines, in line with the enactment of the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act (AIDCA).

AIDCA, embodied under Republic Act (RA) No. 12308, aims to enhance the competitiveness of the local livestock and poultry sectors through modernization efforts and key reforms.

Under this law, key regulatory functions of the FDA were transferred to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the National Dairy Authority (NDA).

The BAI, in particular, will now have jurisdiction over animal health products and equipment, including vaccines.

In a social media post, the bureau said the transfer of power is intended to simplify government processes and strengthen oversight of animal health and production.

Before this, vaccine testing and evaluation fell under the DA, while the FDA handled registration and approval.

Industry players have cited the delineation of responsibilities as one of the main reasons for the delay in the commercial rollout of ASF vaccines.

The commercial use of vaccines is expected to boost the local hog population, after the country lost some six million heads due to the ASF outbreak.

This would be complemented by the Animal Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (AnCEF) under AIDCA, which will have an annual budget of ₱20 billion.

Specifically, 26 percent of the amount will go toward repopulation and herd-building efforts. Of this, 70 percent has been earmarked for hog repopulation.

Based on the DA’s latest report to Malacañang, the government’s vaccination program has now reached a 90 percent efficacy rate.

The agency has inoculated around 500,000 hogs against the ASF, particularly in the provinces of Bulacan, Batangas, Rizal, Laguna, Tarlac, and Pampanga.

The vaccination rollout covered 12 semi-commercial farms, nine smallholder farms, and one government-run farm.

As of Nov. 28, the ASF remains active in 31 barangays across seven provinces.