Villar grills DA on absence of ASF border inspection

Senator Cynthia Villar on Monday censured the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the absence of the first border control facilities for imported animal and plant products to prevent the entry of diseases in the country like African swine fever (ASF).

In a "24 Oras" report by Dano Tingcungco Monday, the senator also criticized the slow clinical trial of the ASF vaccine.

"Dapat a year ago, nag-trial na bakit ngayon nagta-trial? Bumili na eh sana trinayal na para nakita na founded na hindi talaga siya okay, kasi naghearing na kami noon," Villa said.

(The trial should have been done a year ago, why do it only now? We already bought it, it should have undergone trial so that we can see that it's founded, that it's not really okay.  We have conducted a hearing on this earlier.)

“Hindi tanggap sa Amerika yang vaccine na yan. Nagkataon yung supplier niyan malakas sa inyo,” she added.

(The vaccine is not accepted in America. It is just that the supplier has a connection with you.)

The Food and Drug Administration said the Certificate of Product Registration-Monitored Release was only granted to one vaccine supplier and no vaccine supplier was granted an Emergency Use Authorization since there is no declaration of a national state of emergency due to ASF.

“Okay lang na ganyan kayo kung hindi ASF ito, pero gumagrabe ang ASF. Ibig niyong sabihin pagmamahal niyo sa supplier, kahit gumagrabe ang ASF, di niyo papansinin dahil mahal niyo yung supplier?” Villar said.

(It is okay if there is no ASF, but it is getting worse. You mean to say despite the ASF getting worse, you will ignore it because you like the supplier?)

“Gusto mo ba mamatay na lahat ng baboy sa Pilipinas bago mo isubmit ang clinical trial mo?” Villar also said.

(Do you want all hogs to be dead before you submit the clinical trial?)

The FDA said the clinical trial is out of its hands since it will submitted upon the application of a private firm or the DA Bureau of Animal Industry.

Agriculture Assistant Secretary Constante Palabrica said they would submit the clinical trial for the ASF vaccine.

The trial of the first 10,000 doses of ASF vaccine will be completed by the end of September while the result will be submitted in October and the decision of the application will be announced in November.

The first border facility is seen to be operational in January, the report said. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/LDF, GMA Integrated News