A total of 2,000 vaccines against African Swine Fever (ASF) will arrive on Friday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. said.

In Malacanang Insider, a government television program, Tiu Laurel said: “DA is procuring the needed vaccines in our emergency procurement system but it will take up to the first week of September until we get that.”

“Luckily, our supplier donated 2,000 doses and it will arrive on Friday. Hopefully, our target is to start the vaccine rollout by Tuesday next week,” he added.

Eight municipalities in Batangas have declared a state of calamity due to the ASF outbreak including Lobo, Lian, Calatagan, Rosario, Lipa, Talisay, and San Juan.

Tiu Laurel said the DA would also establish checkpoints on Friday in the affected areas in the province to contain the spread.

He also said they are finalizing the policy for pork and enhancing laboratories so the country could manufacture its own ASF vaccines.

“Besides the vaccine, we are strengthening our laboratories and research, and hopefully we can also manufacture the vaccines in the Philippines in the near future. Then we also have an indemnification program so we can finalize the policy for the pork,” Tiu Laurel said.

Jaspearl Tan/DMS