The Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center-Cordillera Administrative Region (ATI-RTC-CAR) with its partners from the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Mountain Province, and the Municipal Local Government Unit (MLGU) of Bauko launched the first Swine Artificial Insemination sa Barangay (SWAIB) Housing and Facility in the Cordillera Administrative Region on March 13, 2024 at Otucan Norte, Bauko, Mountain Province. The SWAIB facility in Bauko aims to support the provision of quality and superior male genetic materials and address the gap in the availability of male genetics due to restriction of animal movement imposed to counter the spread of the African Swine Fever (ASF).
SWAIB is one of the Government programs to support the local swine industry’s recovery from ASF and to further its overall development. It is part of the Department of Agriculture’s Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) Program. Specifically, SWAIB is designed to complement INSPIRE’s Component 2 which is the establishment of swine breeder multiplier farms towards building, restoring, and recovering the breeder base to support the gradual restocking and repopulation of the swine industry. The Department of Agriculture’s National Livestock Program (NLP) leads the INSPIRE’s overall implementation in the country while the ATI, and the DA Regional Field Offices in partnership with concerned stakeholders such as Local Government Units, execute the program at the field level. Following the SWAIB Project Implementation Guidelines, the proposal of PLGU Mountain Province Provincial Veterinary Office for the establishment of a SWAIB facility in Bauko was approved and implemented in 2023.
The NLP, through the ATI, funded the construction of the facility, the PLGU Mountain Province provided the project site, while the DA-RFO-CAR provided technical inputs during the project validation. The ATI, BAI, and DA-RFO-CAR will also continue providing technical assistance during the first three-years of the project’s implementation. Aside from the climate-smart animal housing facility, the SWAIB Project, through the ATI, will also provide 10 boars from the ATI International Training Center on Pig Husbandry, farm office, laboratory, and equipment. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to produce quality semen which will be administered through artificial insemination across hog farms which are located at most two hours from the facility.
Training Center Director (TCD) Charlie C. Sagudan led the ATI-RTC-CAR team during the event while Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Vice Governor Francis O. Tauli, members of the Sanguniang Panlalawigan, Provincial Veterinarian Rodelio B. Bagawi, and Bauko Mayor Randolf T. Awisan headed the Mountain Province delegation. Rev. Johnson Falitang, Rector of the Saint Paul Parish in Otucan, Bauko officiated the dedication and blessing of the facility. Afterwards a ceremonial turnover followed which started with the project contractor Tawid Builders Corporation turning over the facility to the ATI-RTC-CAR. TCD Sagudan then handed the keys of the facility to the PLGU Mountain Province through Governor Lacwasan. Dr. Bagawi then led the guests around the facility where he explained the features of the structure. Leaders from both the ATI-RTC-CAR, the PLU Mountain Province, and MLGU Bauko expressed their support and sustained commitment on the project. Aside from the Governor, and the Vice Governor, five members of the Mountain Province Sanguniang Panlalawigan were present during the activity namely: Ezra Samson A. Gomez, Committee Chair on Agriculture and Agrarian Reform; Henry D. Bastian, Committee Chair on Appropriations; Ricardo M. Masidong, Committee Chair on Senior Citizens; Johnson Bantog, Committee Chair on Ways and Means and Peace and Order; Thomas Tawagen, Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative to the Sanguniang Panlalawigan. Dionisio K. Wakdisen represented Congressman Maximo Y. Dalog, Jr during the event while Otucan Norte Barangay Captain Alfredo Sabey completed the multi-level delegation of elected officials who graced the event.
