Ilocos norte: Ilocos Norte's Provincial Veterinary Office on Tuesday lauded the strong collaboration of all sectors in the province for maintaining zero recorded cases of African swine fever (ASF) since the first quarter of 2025.

According to Philippines News Agency, Ilocos Norte is among 12 provinces in the country that have successfully recovered from ASF, as per the Bureau of Animal Industry's ASF situation update. The province is now classified under the yellow zone (surveillance zone) due to its dense swine population and the high volume of pig, pork, and pork product trade, which keeps it at risk.

"Let us continue sustaining this by doing what is required by the national government," said Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Loida Valenzuela. She emphasized the importance of biosecurity and the need to shift from traditional practices to biosecure-conforming actions to prevent the disease from reinfecting the multi-billion-peso hog industry.

Since the Department of Agriculture confirmed the first ASF outbreak in the Philippines in July 2019, 76 of its 82 provinces have experienced outbreaks. As of May 8, at least eight barangays in seven cities and municipalities across seven provinces reported active ASF cases. The number of affected barangays has declined by 88 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the latest report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

In Ilocos Norte, Valenzuela reported that the province has already recovered, as evidenced by the industry's upward growth despite the disease's previous impact. "In fact, we have continually supplied the needs of some neighboring provinces," she added.

Latest market monitoring indicated that pork prices in Ilocos Norte range from PHP280 to PHP340 per kg.