TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Residents, farmers, and community leaders of Tabuk City, Kalinga, are being urged to immediately report potential African Swine Fever cases.

The Tabuk City Veterinary Services Office stressed that immediate notification is critical to stopping the viral illness from spreading throughout local communities. According to Tabuk City Veterinarian Carmen Wanas, surveillance and verification efforts are active across 18 out of 43 barangays with suspected infections.

Affected locations include Barangays Agbannawag, Nambaran, Malalao, Bulo, Bulanao, Calanan, New Ganglag, Gobgob, Masablang, San Juan, Casigayan, Dilag, Laya West, Appas, and Cudal. Conversely, Cabaruan has been removed from the list of affected areas after maintaining zero new cases for five straight months.

Official records show that around 580 pigs have been affected by the disease to date. Veterinary officers noted that early warnings enable quick field assessments, allowing authorities to enforce control procedures before farms in adjacent areas become compromised.

When a potential case is flagged, veterinary staff conduct field inspections, perform rapid tests, and collect blood samples for laboratory analysis. Once an outbreak is verified, teams partner with local leaders to oversee animal culling, sanitize affected premises, and carry out disinfection protocols.

Authorities are encouraging livestock owners to cooperate openly rather than conceal sick animals to protect the broader swine sector. Farmers affected by the outbreak can receive compensation from the Department of Agriculture (DA), with the agency providing P4,000 per weanling, P8,000 per grower or finisher, and P12,000 per breeding sow, provided they meet official criteria.