Philippines pushes to commercialise ASF vaccine
Livestock sector grew 5.1% in Q1, but affected areas continue to decline
29 June 2026
1 minute read
By: The Philippines' Bureau of Animal Industry is pushing for the commercialisation of AVAC live vaccines against African swine fever, saying the move is necessary to sustain growth in the livestock sector, according to the Philippine News Agency.
BAI director Christian Daquigan said the vaccines have been proven safe and effective under the government's controlled vaccination programme, which has recorded a 90% efficacy rate. He said the results of the programme had been positive and that commercialisation was urgently needed.
The push for commercialisation comes after the livestock sector recorded 5.1% growth in the first quarter of 2026, coinciding with a continuous decline in ASF-affected areas nationwide.
The BAI said the commercialisation process may be expedited once regulatory functions for animal health products are transferred from the Food and Drug Administration to the BAI, as provided under the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act. Daquigan said the vaccine's FDA registration is due to expire around July, after which registration will transfer to the BAI under the new law.
The BAI is also reviewing applications from six vaccine suppliers from the United States, Vietnam, South Korea and Thailand, though Daquigan declined to disclose the names of the providers or a timeline for approval.
