Local hog farmers and swine industry groups asked Agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to push for an emergency use authorization (EUA) of a Vietnamese African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine.
“We will study their request, which will allow greater access to the ASF vaccine for backyard piggeries,” Tiu Laurel said.
AGAP Partylist Rep. Nicanor Briones, in a letter addressed to the DA secretary, requested that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declare the ASF outbreak a national emergency, a necessary step to enable the issuance of an EUA.
This comes as the industry continues to grapple with the devastating impact of ASF, which has ravaged pig populations and disrupted pork production since 2019.
The groups argued that an EUA is crucial for rapid and widespread vaccination, particularly among backyard farmers who have been disproportionately affected by the disease.
“The Vietnamese vaccine has shown promising results in trials both here and in Vietnam. An EUA would allow us to protect millions of pigs and help our struggling hog farmers recover,” Briones said.
They noted the urgency of the situation and the potential of the vaccine to revitalize the industry and ensure food security.
The FDA previously granted monitored release (MR) to a different ASF vaccine, but farmers said this approach was too limited in scope and speed to effectively address the crisis.
They said an EUA for the Vietnamese vaccine would be a more effective solution to protect pig populations and secure the future of the Philippine swine industry.
