(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Saturday, 12 July 2025) The Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) continues to affect Mindanao. FORECAST: The Zamboanga Peninsula will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the Southwest Monsoon. These conditions may lead to possible flash floods or landslides, especially during moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms also influenced by the Southwest Monsoon. Winds will be light to moderate from the southwest, with slight to moderate seas (wave height between 0.6 to 2.1 meters).


Thursday, February 03, 2022

DA-13 turns over sentinel piglets to 2 SurSur towns affected by ASF 

SAN MIGUEL, Surigao del Sur -- As a prelude for hog repopulation on the African Swine Fever (ASF)-hit municipalities in the region, the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Caraga Regional ASF Task Force delivered "sentinel piglets" to the Municipalities of Cortes and San Miguel, in the province of Surigao del Sur on Friday, January 28.

The sentineling program or protocol is a science-based approach, which ascertains if a virus or disease is still present in a certain area. For an ASF-hit area to be endorsed for sentineling, there should be no detected cases and reports of related swine deaths for approximately 12 months. The piglets will undergo a 40-day experimental period including its downtime and environmental swabbing guaranteeing that affected hog raisers must conform to the Biosecurity Level 1. Once completed, the area will then be subjected to repopulation.

In Barangay Matho, Cortes, Surigao del Sur, 16 piglets were distributed to eight hog raisers while in Barangay Magroyong, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur, 17 piglets were apportioned to 17 affected hog raisers.

According to Regional ASF Coordinator Dr. Apple C. Jaromahum, the municipalities of Cortes and San Miguel were the first areas where the virus was detected, however, the areas were quick to contain and mitigate the further spreading of the virus.

Regional Technical Director Rebecca Atega also lauded the efforts of the municipalities of Cortes and San Miguel for their quick response and cooperation.

"On behalf of the Department of Agriculture, we congratulate our LGUs for being supportive and compliant with all of the regulatory measures and the quick assistance to our affected hog raisers. And most definitely to our hog raisers who gave their utmost cooperation and for being extra patient despite the circumstances and losses. That's why we are very optimistic that this will be successful because of your efforts," said RTD Atega.

Apart from the piglets, the Livestock Program also apportioned feeds and necessary drugs, biologics, and antiviral agents for the recipients. (DA-CAraga/PIA-Surigao del Sur)

 

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