EXECUTIVE ORDER NO.

________________
Series of ___________

AN EXECUTIVE ORDER ON THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF BANTAY

ASF SA BARANGAY “BABay ASF” PROGRAM PROVIDING POWERS THEREOF,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, African Swine Fever (ASF), a high impact transboundary animal disease
(TAD), continues to affect the swine production sector of the Philippines with no
vaccine and no known cure to date; resulting to industry estimate of 36% reduction
of national swine inventory impacting both livelihood and agriculture economy;

WHEREAS, early reporting of animal-borne disease is vital for an efficient and well-
coordinated response and immediate implementation of control measures;

WHEREAS, successful control effort lies with strong collaboration between the
Department of Agriculture, its relevant agencies, with concerned Local Government
Units (LGU), and stakeholders taking ownership of such program benefitting the
farmers;

WHEREAS, DA Administrative Order No. 7 Series of 2021 Implementing Guidelines

for the “Bantay ASF sa Barangay Program” was enacted for the intensified disease
response of the Government against ASF, where the DA, academe, private
stakeholders and swine industry experts provide technical and support services to
empower LGUs in the implementation of the “BANTAY ASF SA BARANGAY”
interventions at the farm and community levels;

WHEREAS, Section 6 of DA Administrative Order No. 7 Series of 2021 Implementing

Guidelines for the “Bantay ASF sa Barangay Program” reiterates the strengthening
and institutionalization of LGU Engagement in the implementation of the Bantay ASF
Program;

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the abovementioned provisions of several issuances

and to prevent and control the spread of ASF, and thereby facilitate the recovery of
the hog sector, this Order is hereby promulgated and issued by Office of the Punong
Barangay to adopt and implement the “BANTAY ASF SA BARANGAY PROGRAM” or
“BABay ASF Program” in the Barangay of __________;

Section 1. Creation of Barangay ASF Task Force

By virtue of DA AO No. 43 Series of 2020, an African Swine Fever (ASF) Task Force is
hereby created in the Barangay of _______ to implement the Bantay ASF sa Barangay
“BABay ASF” Program involving several departments and agencies with the Office of
the Municipal Agriculturist/Provincial Veterinarian as lead implementing agencies.

Section 2. Composition of the Barangay ASF Task Force

The Task Force is hereby constituted as follows:

Chairperson - Kgwd on Agriculture

Co-Chairperson - Punong Barangay
Members - Representative from:
- Barangay Agriculture and Fisheries
Council (BAFC) (Name)
 - Local Private Animal Health
Providers (Name)
- BAHW/BBO/LFT (name/s)
- Barangay Risk and Reduction
Disaster Coordinating Council
(BRRDCC) (name)
- Barangay Peacekeeping Action
Team (BPAT) (name)
- Barangay Ecological Solid Waste
Management Committee
(BESWMC) (name)
- Barangay Health Management
Council (BHMC) (name)
- Barangay Secretary
- Committee on Education and
Culture (name)
- Private Sector (NGO’s, CSO’s)

Section 3. TECHNICAL SUPPORT TEAMS

These are the regular members of the ASF-TF that are responsible for the
preservation and protection of the swine industry in Tagum City

Rapid Action Team

- BBO and/or BAHW (name)
- BRRDDCC (name)
- BPAT (name)

Surveillance Team - BBO/BHAW and/or LFT

- Barangay Ecological Solid Waste
Management Committee
(BESWMC) (name)
- Barangay Health Management
Council (BHMC) (name)

Quarantine Team
- BPAT (name)
- Barangay Agriculture and Fisheries
Council (BAFC) (Name)
- Committee on Agriculture (name)

Census Team - Barangay Secretary

- Barangay Agriculture and Fisheries
Council (BAFC) (Name)
- Committee on Agriculture (name)
- Private Sector (NGO’s, CSO’s)
IEC Team

- Barangay Agriculture and Fisheries

Council (BAFC) (Name)
- Punong Barangay
- Committee on education
- Private Sector Representatives
Section 4. ROLES AND FUNCTIONS

Rapid Action Team - carry out the immediate diagnosis of suspect

premises and the initiation and implementation
of the stamping out procedures.

Surveillance Team - conducts regular surveillance and profiling of

swine diseases in the identified priority areas.

Quarantine Team - conducts periodic identification and consolida-

tion of data on swine population, location, etc.

Census Team - conducts periodic identification and consolida-

tion of data on swine population, location, etc.

IEC Team -ensures adequate awareness of the general

public matters and updates to African Swine
Fever.

Section 5. REGISTRATION AND DEPUTIZATION OF BIOSECURITY OFFICERS

Veterinary Biosecurity Officers (VetBO) are Resident Veterinarians or Veterinary

Consultants who shall be recognized as Biosecurity Officers or VetBO while Barangay
Biosecurity Officers (BBOs) are Community/Village-Based Animal
Technicians (CBAT), Barangay Animal Health Workers (BAHW), para-veterinary
workers, Barangay Livestock Aide (BALA), volunteer veterinarians who are not
resident or consulting veterinarian of any farm, or any person assigned/endorsed by
the city/municipality to act as such and perform the duties and responsibilities
stated in this order. 

PVO - All VetBOs and BBOs shall be registered and deputized by the Provincial
Veterinary Office (PVO). VetBO shall apply directly to PVO, while BBO shall be
assigned/endorsed by the CVO/MAO/MVO. Upon completion of all requirements and
training, a Biosecurity Officer Code will be issued by the PVO.

CVO/MAO/MVO – The CVO/MVO/MAO shall endorse the list of registered BBO to

be issued a Biosecurity Officer Code by the PVO.

To fast track the implementation of this activity, all existing networks of Animal
Health Workers such as Barangay Animal Livestock Aide (BALA), Barangay Animal
Health Workers (BAHW), and other similar barangay officials assigned to assist in
the implementation of different animal health programmes shall be readily
designated for this purpose.

Section 6. DISEASE INVESTIGATION

A disease investigation is prompted when there is a report of a suspect case of ASF

in the area. The Barangay ASF Task Force in coordination with the Municipal ASF
Task Force (MATF) and Provincial ASF Task Force (PATF) shall act quickly on the
reported case by conducting thorough disease investigation and sample collection.

Blood/organ samples to be collected for disease investigation shall come from 30

randomly selected animals preferably exhibiting clinical signs consistent with that
of ASF, if the population is greater than 30. If the population is less than 30, samples
shall be collected from all pigs in the farm.
A disease investigation activity shall be conducted in accordance with the protocol
set in Annex 2 of the DA AO 7 Series of 2021

Section 7. SURVEILLANCE

Surveillance shall be done in accordance to Section 3.3 of the DA AO No. 7 Series of

2021. Furthermore, a detailed protocol on surveillance within the 1 km quarantine
area from the ASF infected premise is stipulated in Annex 3 of the said DA AO.

Section 8. ISSUANCE OF WEEKLY NEGATIVE DISEASE MONITORING REPORT &

HOG TRANSPORT PASS

Weekly Negative Disease Monitoring

a. Commercial/Semi-commercial Farm/Paiwi – VetBOs and BBOs (as

approved by MVO/CVO/MAO) shall conduct disease monitoring and
biosecurity evaluation and submit reports to the CVO/MAO/MVO/PVO.
b. Small hold Farms – BBOs shall conduct disease monitoring and biosecurity
evaluation and submit reports to the CVO/MAO/MVO/PVO. Community
sampling may also apply following the guidelines in the community
testing and sample collection in Annex 4 of DA AO 7 Series of 2021.
c. Weekly disease monitoring report may be submitted through online
and/or on-site depending on the discretion of the implementing
CVO/MAO/MVO/PVO.
d. Biosecurity Officers shall report immediately to their respective
CVO/MAO/MVO/PVO, any farms with animals showing clinical signs
suggestive of ASF infection for corresponding actions such as
surveillance and disease investigations.

Hog Transport Pass

This aims to properly register all hog traders and other logistical support
providers and their respective transport vehicles and vessels transacting
business in the respective provinces with the end view of traceability and
maintaining disease free areas thereby achieving safe, clean and orderly
handling of commodities throughout the stages of marketing or distribution
channels.

No hog traders and livestock transport carriers shall be allowed to transact

business within each province without the Hog Transport Pass (HTP) which
shall be a requirement before issuance of Veterinary Health Certificate
(VHC).

All livestock transport carriers are required to comply with the biosecurity
measures such as cleaning and disinfection as may be imposed by the
authorities.

Any violation in this guideline by the hog traders and other logistical support
providers shall immediately render his/her HTP revoked.

An updated list of traders shall be submitted regularly by all provinces to the

DARFO and the BAI.

Issuance of Hog Transport Pass shall be in accordance with Annex 6 of DA AO

No. 7 Series of 2021
Section 9. AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Awareness campaign shall be conducted to ensure all aspects relevant to BABay ASF
will be cascaded and disseminated to the farmers. Engagement of agencies including
the Department of Agriculture (DA) Communications Group, Agriculture and
Fisheries Information Division (AFID), Regional Agriculture and Fisheries
Information Sections (RAFIS), Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and local
government (Provincial to Barangay) information office, and all media resources of
government shall be involved.

The campaign shall focus on ensuring that biosecurity protocols are duly observed
by the farmers, discouraging the use of swill as feed for hogs and bringing farmers to
register in the Farmers Registry developed for livestock farmers.

Section 10. RECOVERY AND REPOPULATION

The Barangay Local Government Unit and Local Government Unit shall guide farms
in proper cleaning and disinfection. PVO/MAO shall conduct farm inspection to
assess compliance with cleaning and proper disinfection procedures.

The complete guidelines and procedures for the recovery and repopulation is
presented in Annex 8 of DA AO No. 7 Series of 2021.

Section 11. DECLARATION OF ASF FREE STATUS

There are two levels of Declaration of ASF Free Status of an area previously infected
with ASF.

The first level is the City/Municipality Level Local Declaration of ASF Free Status for
cities/municipalities with certain barangay/s which have been previously infected
with ASF and will be declared ASF Free area by the Provincial ASF Task Force. 

The second level is the National Declaration of ASF Free Status for the whole
Province to be declared by the Bureau of Animal Industry. All infected barangays of
the city/municipality must be locally declared ASF Free area prior to application to
be declared ASF Free on a national level.

The guidelines for Declaration of ASF Free Status is subject to adapt as deemed
necessary by DA-BAI.

Section 12. PENALTIES AND SANCTIONS

The Barangay Local Government Unit shall penalize any person or entity found to
have committed the instances/acts listed under Section 9 “Violations/Prohibited
Acts” of DA AO 7 Series of 2021.

Section 13. FUNDING

Counterpart funding to support the activities of the African Task Force shall be
allocated by the Office of the Punong Barangay.

Section 14. EFFECTIVITY

This order shall take effect immediately and shall remain in force until expressly
revoked.
Done this ____ day of____________2022, in the Barangay of ____________, Tboli, South
Cotabato

________________________
Punong Barangay