In a proactive move to curb the spread of African swine fever (ASF), Negros Oriental has stationed barangay biosafety officers (BBOs) in 22 of its municipalities and cities. Jaymar Vilos, a spokesperson for the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), revealed that each local government unit (LGU) has assigned three BBOs to keep a close watch on their communities and provide monthly updates on ASF surveillance efforts. The initiative, which saw the deployment of BBOs starting in October, follows guidelines set by the national government in January, with full compliance achieved by June. The BBOs, who are compensated by the national government via the Department of Agriculture (DA), are crucial in collecting blood samples and performing other essential monitoring tasks to prevent ASF outbreaks. Unfortunately, three LGUs—Dauin, Baco, and Canlaon City—missed the compliance deadline and are thus ineligible for government incentives. Trained by the Agriculture Training Institute, the DA Provincial Agriculture Technology Coordinating Office, and the PVO, these officers not only help in swift governmental responses to potential outbreaks but also aid LGUs in making informed decisions about live hog trading. Since the last ASF outbreak in Valencia in September, no new cases have been reported in the province, and the PVO has now permitted the shipment of live hogs from areas certified as ASF-free.
