Photo courtesy of PNA.
In a bid to strengthen defense against disruptive livestock diseases like African swine fever (ASF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the Department of Agriculture (DA) has launched a ₱140-million Animal Vaccine Development Program for homegrown immunization nationwide.
According to agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the move captilizes on the government’s commitment to secure the country’s food security “by investing in local vaccine development.”
“(Through the program), the government hopes to strengthen disease defenses, restore industry confidence and reduce the economic damage caused by future outbreaks,“ the agri chief pointed out.
“For a sector that has spent years battling costly animal diseases, the initiative represents a significant step toward greater self-reliance and resilience,” he added.
The nationwide immunization program is a collaboration between the DA-National Livestock Program, the Bureau of Animal Industry, the Philippine Carabao Center and Central Luzon State University. It will run for three years, with a funding of ₱77.6 million this year, ₱30.6 million in 2027 and ₱32.7 million in 2028.
The program comes as the swine industry is recovering from ASF, which had diminished the local hog population and caused billions of pesos in losses when it hit the country in 2019.
Aside from the swine industry, the country’s poultry sector also suffered recurring outbreaks of avian influenza or bird flu, resulting in the culling of millions of birds and periodic supply interruptions.
Tiu Laurel also disclosed that one of the program’s goals is the establish a Biosafety Level 3 facility to enable researchers to safely handle high-risk animal viruses and expedite the development of vaccines initially for ASF and FMD.
“Locally developed vaccines may have an advantage over imports since the homegrown kind could respond to local pathogen strains and increase their efficacy in preventing outbreaks,” he cited.
“While the Philippines is currently free from FMD, outbreaks in neighboring countries threaten the livestock industry, thus the need for stronger preventive measures,” he continued.
Accordingly, agriculture officials spelled out that the immunization program will likewise strengthen the country’s capacity for animal health research and innovation, supporting technical training, disease preparedness and advanced research.
“Investing in science, research, and innovation is critical to protecting livelihoods, strengthening our food systems, and building a more resilient future for the livestock sector,” they noted.
“The program marks a strategic shift from managing outbreaks to creating long-term defenses against them. Diseases affecting livestock have repeatedly affected production output, deterred investment and caused a rise in the prices of meat,” they concluded.
