THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday launched a P140-million Animal Vaccine Development Program for homegrown immunization against disruptive livestock diseases like African swine fever (ASF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
“By investing in local vaccine development, the government hopes to strengthen disease defenses, restore industry confidence, and reduce the economic damage caused by future outbreaks. For a sector that has spent years battling costly animal diseases, the initiative represents a significant step toward greater self-reliance and resilience,” said the DA.
The program comes as the swine industry is recovering from ASF, which had diminished the local hog population and caused billions of pesos in losses when it hit the country in 2019.
Aside from the swine industry, the country’s poultry sector also suffered recurring outbreaks of avian influenza or bird flu, resulting in the culling of millions of birds and periodic supply interruptions.
The program — a collaboration between the DA-National Livestock Program, the Bureau of Animal Industry, the Philippine Carabao Center, and Central Luzon State University — will run for three years, with a funding of P77.6 million this year, P30.6 million in 2027, and P32.7 million in 2028.
One of its goals is the establish a Biosafety Level 3 facility to enable researchers to safely handle high-risk animal viruses and expedite the development of vaccines initially for ASF and FMD, the DA said.
Locally developed vaccines may have an advantage over imports since the homegrown kind could respond to local pathogen strains and increase their efficacy in preventing outbreaks, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said.
While the Philippines is currently free from FMD, outbreaks in neighboring countries threaten the livestock industry, thus the need for stronger preventive measures, the DA said.
The program will also strengthen the country’s capacity for animal health research and innovation, supporting technical training, disease preparedness, and advanced research.
“Investing in science, research, and innovation is critical to protecting livelihoods, strengthening our food systems, and building a more resilient future for the livestock sector,” said Tiu Laurel Jr.
The program marks a strategic shift from managing outbreaks to creating long-term defenses against them. Diseases affecting livestock have repeatedly affected production output, deterred investment, and caused a rise in the prices of meat.
