DA poised to revise 1-7-10 protocol vs African swine fever

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture is eyeing to modify its prevailing 1-7-10 protocol to contain the spread of the African swine fever (ASF).

In the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay in Malate, Manila, DA Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said the current practice of killing all hogs within one-kilometer radius from an affected area may soon change.

“Magkakaroon ng revision itong 1-7-10 protocol at paiitingin pa rin ang security measures,” he revealed Wednesday.

(There will be revisions on the 1-7-10 protocol and we will still enforce security measures.)

Pressed further about what “revisions” were being planned, Reyes said, “Hindi lahat papatayin, pagu-usapan kasi ‘yung iba hindi pa malusog pa, maaring test and cull. Test muna, ‘pag meron, ika-cull. ‘Pag wala, ihihiwalay. Para hindi naman malaking gastos.”

(Not all hogs will be culled, we will talk about it because some are still healthy, maybe test and cull. We will test first, if not, we will cull. If it’s healthy, we’ll separate it. So it wouldn’t cost much.)

Under the 1-7-10 protocol, all hogs within one-kilometer radius from the affected area – whether infected by ASF or not – will be culled.

Under the seven-kilometer radius, there will be controlling of movement, shipment, and sale of hogs while all hogs within the 10-kilometer radius will be placed under monitoring.

Swine farms in Bulacan and Pampanga have been badly hit by ASF as there were also reported cases in Aurora, Cavite, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Quezon City, Malabon, and Caloocan.

ASF has likewise spread in Mindanao, initially in Davao Occidental. Recently, two Davao del Sur towns confirmed that the disease has spread in their area.

“Again, titignan ng Department of Agriculture, in partnership with hog traders and hog raisers na kailangan i-revise, pagu-usapan nila ‘yung test and cull system,” he later went on to say.

(Again, the Department of Agriculture, in partnership with hog traders and hog raisers, will look into what needs to be revised, they will discuss the test and cull system.)

Edited by KGA