Authorities looking into Indonesian swill as cause for Davao ASF outbreak

The African Swine Fever outbreak in Davao Occidental could have been caused by swill or food waste imported from ASF-hit Indonesia, authorities said Friday.

"Tinitignan ko 'yung anggulo na baka may swill feeding na galing sa barko from Indonesia," Department of Agriculture Davao Region Director Ricardo Onate Jr. said in Jun Veneracion's report on Balitanghali.

Due to the outbreak, Davao Governor Claude Bautista had ordered the depopulation of around 100,000 hogs in the area.

"According to him, kung hindi natin aalisin lahat ng mga baboy, it could be that the virus could just go around Davao Occidental," Marivic Hubac, the Office of the Davao government head executive assistant, explained.

To speed things up, they had asked for the military's help.

"During depopulation is ise-secure namin yung area at, 'yun nga, iko-kordon namin," Major Alex Mindalano, of the Philippine Army, said.

Don Marcelino was considered ground zero for the ASF outbreak. Since January 26, the outbreak had spread to Malita, Santa Maria, and Jose Abad Santos.

The local government said it would compensate farmers P5,000 for every destroyed hog, while the Department of Agriculture had promised a sure-aid loan for affected hog raisers.

Meanwhile, officials have tightened security to prevent the further spread of ASF in Davao del Sur.

At the boundary of Davao Occidental and Davao Del Sur, bus passengers were asked to disembark for a disinfection procedure.

Despite this, ASF cases had been reported in Davao City.

In Barangay Lamanan, the hog death toll had risen to 40 while 200 hogs died in Barangay Dominga, which had been placed under lockdown. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News