Gamu, Isabela – Stakeholders from government, law enforcement, academia, and local veterinary offices convened at the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 2 (DA RFO2) Isabela Experiment Station (IES) in Gamu, Isabela, on September 10, 2026 for a multi-sectoral Interagency Consultative Meeting aimed at safeguarding Cagayan Valley’s swine industry against African Swine Fever (ASF) and other transboundary animal diseases.
The summit brought together key institutions to streamline response mechanisms and eliminate administrative delays during disease outbreaks. Among the key attendees were representatives from:
• Agricultural & Veterinary Agencies: National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), Bureau of Animal Industry Regional Veterinary Quarantine Office (BAI), City and Municipal Veterinarians, Provincial Veterinarians (ProVets), DA RFO2 Field Operations Division (FOD), Regulatory Division, Integrated Laboratory Division (ILD), and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Unit. • Security & Law Enforcement: Police Regional Office 2 (PRO2 PNP).
• Environment, Emergency, Information & Trade: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Section (RAFIS), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), ATI , AMAD and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
• Academia: Veterinarians and technical experts from State Universities and Colleges (SUCs: NVSU, ISU, CSU).
A primary focus of the meeting was assessing the vulnerable populations across both backyard and commercial swine raisers in the region. Participants examined current biosecurity gaps, live pig movement dynamics, and trade flows to tailor targeted protection measures for high-risk backyard farms while shielding large-scale commercial operations. To operationalize long-term containment, officials presented and reviewed the comprehensive Action Plan on ASF Disease Management.
The plan emphasizes intensified border controls, strict quarantine enforcement at biosecurity checkpoints, scaled-up surveillance via laboratory diagnostic networks, and coordinated public awareness campaigns led by PIA and RAFIS. A major highlight of the consultative session was the finalization of the Draft Order establishing the Animal Disease Outbreak Quick Response Task Force (QRT).
Once formally issued, the policy will authorize a specialized interagency task force with standardized protocols for immediate deployment, rapid diagnostic confirmation, localized isolation, and humane depopulation procedures when necessary. By bringing together enforcement agencies like the PNP, disaster resilience units, trade regulators, and livestock specialists under a unified framework, DA RFO2 aims to fortify Region 2’s biosecurity defenses and stabilize local hog production against ongoing economic threats.
via Dr. Ferdinand Cortez