The Department of Agriculture (DA) is asking Congress for at least P1 billion to fund free African swine fever (ASF) vaccine for smallholder hog raisers nationwide starting next year.
DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa explained the priority focus on small growers because large commercial farms have already secured their own vaccine supplies following the approval of the AVAC ASF LIVE vaccine last September by the Bureau of Animal Industry. A second vaccine from South Korea is also nearing final commercial clearance in the country.
Since ASF reached the Philippines in 2019, the national hog herd dropped from around 13 million to roughly 8 million heads. The disease has forced the country to rely more heavily on imported pork, while repeated outbreaks continue to threaten domestic production and keep prices unstable for consumers.
The funding request is more than just disease control—it forms a core part of the government’s broader strategy to rebuild the swine industry alongside stricter biosecurity, monitoring, and restocking programs. Officials aim to restore the hog population to pre-outbreak levels and add six million more heads by 2028, a goal that would strengthen household food security, lower reliance on imports, stabilize pork prices, and lift incomes for thousands of small-scale farmers.
