Published February 23, 2021, 10:00 AM In the third quarter of 2019, the Philippines confirmed its first case of African swine fever (ASF) in Rizal Province. More than a year later, over 400,000 hogs have been culled, thousands of barangays have been infected, and at least P56 billion in losses were declared in the local hog industry due to the highly contagious disease that is ASF. There are no medicines or vaccines available to control the disease yet. “ASF is the worst disease to hit the Philippine swine industry in recent years,” Dr. Max M. Montenegro, a swine consultant from the Philippine College of Swine Practitioners (PCSP) said during a media briefing.