THOUGH the Philippines has been free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) for a decade, the Department of Agriculture (DA) was looking into producing FMD vaccines locally to prevent the spread of the infectious disease in the country’s livestock industry.
The DA said on Friday, August 2, that Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. created a technical working group to study the feasibility of manufacturing vaccines in the Philippines.
While the Philippines has been recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health as FMD-free since May 2014 even without a vaccination practice, Laurel still sees a significant impact on the economy if there is an outbreak of the highly contagious livestock disease.
It said the Philippines has not inoculated livestock against FMD for decades.
Cattle, swine, and goats were the farm animals susceptible to FMD.
The DA said that Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam were among the neighboring countries that recently reported FMD cases.
“To maintain the country’s status [as an FMD-free jurisdiction], and prepare it for contingencies, there’s a need to explore the viability and feasibility of manufacturing FMD vaccines locally to be used in the prevention and control of FMD incursions,” Tiu Laurel said in his Special-Order No. 1083 dated July 23, 2024.
The Agriculture secretary designated Assistant Secretary for Swine and Poultry Constante Palabrica, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, as chairman of the technical working group.
The DA said the team would provide technical input to ascertain the viability and feasibility of locally producing FMD vaccines. (GMA Integrated News)
