The Regional Training Center of the Agricultural Training Institute in the Cordillera Administrative Region conducted two batches of training entitled “Bantay ASF sa Barangay Training on Specimen Collection for Barangay Biosecurity Officers (BBOs) for the province of Apayao.
The first batch was conducted in Flora, Apayao with 25 BBOs held on August 20-21, 2024 while the second batch was conducted in Kabugao, Apayao with 22 BBO participants held on August 22-23, 2024. Supposedly, the activity focused on Capacitation on Animal Disease Identification and Sample Collection but was replaced with Bantay ASF sa Barangay which is more prioritized for the province. It was noted that from 2023 to January 2024, the municipality of Flora recorded cases of ASF while Kabugao is currently facing a surge of ASF once again in the municipality affecting 30 hog raisers since February 2024. The training was conducted to further strengthen biosecurity measures in the area.
The training is implemented through the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center-CAR (ATI-RTC-CAR) in partnership with the DA-Reginal Field Office-CAR (DA-RFO-CAR), Provincial and City Veterinary Offices, and Municipal Agriculture Offices in the region. Primarily the BBO, through this training, are being capacitated to enhance their skills in collecting specimens for laboratory testing. This includes proper preparation and handling of materials and tools, restraining of animals, collection, handling, packaging, and transport of specimens.
The BBOs are volunteer animal health workers based in their respective barangays and are under the supervision of the PVO. Their tasks include assisting the PVO and the Municipal Agriculture Office in monitoring and surveillance of animal diseases. This program is one of the offshoots of the Philippine experience on the African Swine Fever (ASF) and is implemented as one of the measures to control and prevent the further spread of ASF through the wider Bantay ASF sa Barangay (BABay ASF) program.
