South Cotabato, Koronadal City- South Cotabato province is bringing its enhanced campaign against the highly contagious African Swine Fever (ASF) to its 199 barangays.
Dr. Flora Bigot, head of the Provincial Veterinary Office, said they were working on the deployment of trained barangay biosecurity officers to further strengthen their efforts to keep the province free from the devastating animal disease.
She said they have so far trained at least 130 biosecurity officers in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Agricultural Training Institute in Region 12.
The provincial government has allotted additional funds for the training of more biosecurity officers and their deployment in all barangays in the province, she said.
Dr. Bigot said, that this is to ensure the proper implementation of biosecurity measures (against ASF) in the barangay level.
Bigot added that the biosecurity officers will be tasked to monitor and report any possible threat regarding the ASF to the municipal and provincial governments.
They will later assist the rollout of the “Bantay ASF sa Barangay” program in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
The entire South Cotabato and this city are under the “dark green” zone or among the areas in the country that remain free from ASF.
