Number of ASF-affected barangays increases to 472

MANILA, Philippines — African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread in the country as the number of infected barangays has increased to 472 from 458, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), an attached agency of the DA, showed 14 barangays were added to the “red” or ASF-infected zones as of Sept. 6.

The virus has affected 115 municipalities, 32 provinces and 15 regions, the DA said.

Among provinces, North Cotabato recorded the highest number of ASF-affected barangays with 108 followed by Batangas with 96, Quezon province with 91 and La Union with 30.

As this developed, Sen. Cynthia Villar criticized the DA for failing to contain the disease.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture, urged President Marcos to declare a state of national calamity due to ASF.

She questioned the DA’s vaccination trial and the non-utilization of an ASF border facility in Bulacan to stop the spread of the disease.

Villar said the country’ ASF cases have never gone down and even continued to increase.