The commercial sale of the first African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine was approved by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Wednesday.

The AVAC ASF LIVE, which is the first ASF vaccine for fatteners cleared for public sale in the country, was developed by AVAC Vietnam Joint Stock Company.

"AVAC ASF LIVE is a live, attenuated, gene- deleted freeze-dried vaccine designed to protect pigs against the African swine fever virus," the agency said.

"Its approval comes nearly seven years after ASF first hit the Philippines in 2019, cutting the national hog population to around 8 million heads from about 13 million before the outbreak," it added.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Livestock Constante Palabrica said another vaccine from South Korea named PROVAC is undergoing BAI testing.

Palabrica said the second vaccine may possibly be available for public sale by next year, potentially giving hog raisers another option against a virus that has repeatedly disrupted local pork production, especially during the rainy season.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. noted that the availability of a commercially approved ASF vaccine is crucial to the agency's repopulation program.

"It gives hog raisers another tool to protect healthy animals as we work to rebuild the industry and secure a more stable supply of pork," he said.

To make the vaccine more accessible to smaller hog farmers, Palabrica asked Tiu Laurel for P1 billion to subsidize ASF vaccination programs next year, which will include vaccination, for backyard pig farms.

"The government is positioning vaccination as part of a broader repopulation strategy that includes disease surveillance, biosecurity, movement control, and targeted restocking. The goal is to restore the swine population to pre-ASF outbreak level," the DA stated.

According to BAI, the "ASF outbreaks have reached 76 of the Philippines’ 82 provinces, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing the industry."

The DA stressed that "the stakes extend beyond farmers. The collapse of the local hog herd has contributed to supply gaps and greater reliance on pork imports, while recurring outbreaks continue to threaten domestic production."

"Rebuilding the herd means more than reviving farm incomes. A healthier and larger local swine population could provide a steadier pork supply and eventually help ease price pressures for consumers," it stated. Robina Asido/PHS