Regional cooperation under Asean’s ASF strategy reinforces the Philippines’ science-based initiatives to safeguard food security and livestock production.
The Department of Science and Technology–National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) is reinforcing Asean’s African Swine Fever (ASF) strategy through science communication. By aligning its campaign with the Asean ASF Prevention and Control Strategy 2023–2028, the council underscores the importance of surveillance, biosecurity, and rapid detection.
ASF has disrupted hog inventories since 2019, driving pork prices higher and threatening food security across the region. To address these challenges, DOST-NRCP advances its program May Magandang Bukas Mula sa Pagtuklas (MMBMP), which promotes science-based initiatives tailored to pig producers. These include disease surveillance, improved biosecurity practices, and early detection technologies.
The program also highlights the value of knowledge-sharing and community participation, ensuring that science communication reaches farmers and local stakeholders directly. This approach strengthens prevention efforts while reinforcing the Philippines’ role in regional cooperation.
At Visayas State University in Baybay City, Leyte Province, researchers, veterinary experts, students, and stakeholders gathered to examine ASF challenges and potential solutions. Dr Harvie Portugaliza presented ongoing research on ASF epidemiology in Leyte, focusing on surveillance and stronger biosecurity measures among hog raisers. His team emphasized interdisciplinary approaches, including conservation medicine and community involvement, to protect both domestic and wild pig populations.
Dr Portugaliza urged local government units (LGUs) to strengthen reporting systems and laboratory testing. He stressed that early detection is critical to containing outbreaks and minimizing economic losses. Community participation, he added, remains essential for effective disease control.
ASF first appeared in Vietnam in 2019 and has since spread across Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore. The disease has devastated small-scale farmers, many of whom rely on pigs for income.
The Asean strategy provides a blueprint for reducing ASF’s impact. It focuses on surveillance, rapid detection, biosecurity enhancement, and stakeholder collaboration. DOST-NRCP’s initiatives complement these priorities, reinforcing the Philippines’ role in regional disease control.
The integration of science communication with regional strategies highlights the importance of knowledge-sharing and community involvement. By combining research, local government action, and farmer participation, the Philippines aims to build a more resilient hog industry.
The campaign underscores that sustainable disease mitigation requires interdisciplinary approaches, balancing livestock production with conservation and food security.
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