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The Department of Agriculture (DA) has inaugurated a vaccine facility in Nueva Ecija that seeks to immunize animals against infectious diseases such as bird flu, African swine fever (ASF), and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
“These infectious diseases are major threats to the country’s livestock and poultry industries, as well as to national food security,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel in a statement.
While vaccines are available internationally, Laurel said developing vaccines based on indigenous strains “tend to be more effective in preventing outbreaks.”
He said opening a dedicated vaccine center in the province would be crucial for addressing the economic losses caused by ASF and AI, as well to protect the country’s livestock from FMD.
The facility is located at the Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (CenTrAD) at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Nueva Ecija.
CenTrAD, a joint project of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and CLSU, is funded by the DA with an estimated cost of ₱230 million.
It houses various laboratories for microbiology, virology, parasitology, histopathology, and molecular assays, along with an epidemiology training and digital analysis room.
The DA envisions CenTrAD to be a leading force for the diagnosis, surveillance, research, and technology development related to transboundary animal diseases.
Further, as part of its mission to curb animal diseases, the agency has so far allocated ₱151 million to fund its three-year national animal vaccination program.
"The national animal vaccination program is about empowerment—empowering our farmers with knowledge, our veterinarians with resources, and our nation with the assurance that we are building a stronger, healthier future,” Laurel said.
“It is a testament to the power of science, the importance of collaboration, and the undeniable truth that prevention is always better than cure," he added.
The program aims to deliver vaccine prototypes by 2028 or sooner.
Since the ASF had its first outbreak in 2019, the country’s swine sector has incurred billions in losses, significant job losses, and had slowed down efforts toward achieving food security.
According to the DA, the current swine population stands at approximately eight million, which is only 60 percent of the nearly 13 million heads before the outbreak.
Bird flu, on the other hand, has caused the culling of over 10 million chickens since its first outbreak in 2017.
The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) considers the Philippines to be FMD-free. The DA, however, remains on high alert as there are active FMD cases in nearby countries.
