Prolonged Pig Outbreak

The African swine fever (ASF) pandemic continues to cause tight supplies and high prices of pork in the Philippines, with prices increasing steadily since the outbreak occurred nearly four years ago. Unlike the COVID-19 pandemic which now appears to be behind us, ASF remains a serious issue due to a lack of a vaccine and challenges in culling infected animals. The clash between science, politics and economics, including resistance to culling from individual growers and local politicians, puts obstacles in the way of controlling the spread of ASF. The sale of infected meat must also be outlawed, however, no mechanism is in place to ensure this. The absence of political will to follow strict guidelines by local governments will prolong the pig pandemic.