Twenty-one out of seventy-seven municipalities in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) that were placed under the Red or infected zone status due to African Swine Fever (ASF) have now been upgraded to Pink or Buffer Zone status after recording no ASF infection for more than 180 days.
Based on its March 27, 2023, the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) recorded that aside from the 21 municipalities upgraded to pink status, 12 municipalities in the region remain free from ASF, with 12 municipalities categorized under green zone status or has not been infected with the virus.
Of the 21 municipalities upgraded to Pink from red zone status, 8 municipalities are found in Abra, 5 municipalities in Benguet, 2 in Ifugao, 2 in Kalinga, and 4 in Mountain Province. Abra also recorded the 12 municipalities currently under green zone status.
DA-CAR ASF coordinator Dr. Henry Salasa explained that the regional agriculture department continuously monitors the ASF-infected areas to prevent the virus’s possible spread to other provinces and municipalities in the Cordillera region by reminding poultry farmers to observe biosecurity measures in their poultry areas.
Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas stated that since the outbreak has been controlled, the province has started to raise hogs and expressed his thoughts that this will continue.
Under the zoning status being implemented by DA-BAI, Red zone is categorized as infected by ASF, Pink denotes a buffer zone, Yellow is for surveillance, White is for a protected zone, and Green is for a free zone.
In the region, the number of Barangays infected by ASF is 210 with 14 cases located in Abra, 66 in Apayao, 31 in Benguet, 49 in Kalinga, 34 in Ifugao, and 16 in Mountain Province.