The Philippines continues to import ASF vaccines from Vietnam

African swine fever vaccine (AVAC ASF LIVE), produced by AVAC Vietnam Joint Stock Company, has passed initial evaluations and was approved for importation by the Philippine Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, and the government. The first batch of 160,000 doses arrived in August 2024 and was delivered to the Philippine Department of Agriculture for deployment and monitoring.

After carefully evaluating the first 160,000 doses in the field, the Philippine government decided to place an additional order of 340,000 doses of the vaccine for use. Yesterday, AVAC Vietnam held a ceremony to mark this export shipment. By this morning (September 9, Vietnam time), the vaccine batch had arrived in the Philippines.

Reporters from Vietnam Agriculture and Nature Newspaper had a brief online exchange with Mr. Juancho Robles, General Director of KPP Power Comoditis (Philippines) - the company responsible for importing and distributing the AVAC ASF LIVE vaccine.

After more than a year of purchasing and using 160,000 doses of AVAC ASF LIVE, how do you evaluate the vaccine’s protective effectiveness?

Based on official monitoring results from the Bureau of Animal Industry under the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA–BAI), the initial field use of AVAC ASF LIVE showed an effectiveness rate of 92.78% in generating detectable antibodies against ASF. Field reports also confirmed that vaccinated pig herds were generally healthy and experienced a marked reduction in the risk of outbreaks.

Could you share the current situation of ASF in the Philippines and the reason for importing this second batch of 340,000 doses?

ASF remains a major threat affecting various regions across the Philippines, posing risks to pig production and farmers’ livelihoods. This additional batch was imported to strengthen the country’s preventive efforts. It serves as an important complement to ongoing surveillance activities, strict biosecurity measures, and education programs.

What is the plan for using this supplementary batch of vaccines?

The second imported batch will also be allocated and distributed by the Bureau of Animal Industry under the Department of Agriculture. The top priority remains supporting government-led vaccination programs, with the goal of protecting the domestic pig industry and reducing the economic losses caused by ASF.

On what basis did the Philippines decide to continue importing AVAC’s ASF vaccine?

This decision was based on the successful results of both clinical and field trials, which served as the foundation for granting the Product Registration Certificate – Supervised Release. In addition, the initial 160,000 doses showed clear effectiveness by generating detectable antibodies in vaccinated pig herds, further strengthening confidence in continued use.

Since being granted the Product Registration Certificate – Supervised Use, the Philippines has imported a total of 500,000 doses of the AVAC ASF LIVE vaccine, including the most recent shipment of 340,000 doses.

How do you assess the positive results that the AVAC ASF LIVE vaccine has brought to ASF prevention and control in the Philippines?

AVAC’s ASF vaccine has given farmers an additional tool to protect their herds. This has helped restore confidence in pig farming, enabling many households to continue or restart operations with greater optimism about the sector’s recovery prospects.

What are the Philippines’ expectations in becoming one of the first countries to import Vietnam’s ASF vaccine, given that the disease remains a major challenge for the livestock sector?

We hope the vaccine will soon be approved for full commercial use, allowing farmers nationwide broader access. This will not only safeguard their investments but also help revive the domestic pig farming industry, ensuring a more stable and sustainable recovery process.

Beyond ASF vaccines, does the Philippines wish to expand veterinary cooperation with Vietnam to address other animal diseases?

Protecting animal health requires constant access to new technologies and scientific information. We are open to expanding cooperation in developing solutions for other animal diseases. Such collaboration is vital to strengthening the resilience of the livestock sector across the region and ensuring food security.

Mr. Nguyen Van Diep, General Director of AVAC Vietnam Joint Stock Company, said that as of September 2025, AVAC has supplied 4.3 million doses of the ASF vaccine to the market.

Of this, about 3.7 million doses were sold domestically (2.8 million doses to distributors and 900,000 doses to provincial sub-departments and agricultural service centers). In 2024, the company released 528,000 doses, and in 2025 the figure reached 1.2 million doses.

In addition, the company has exported 460,000 doses to the Philippines, 120,000 doses to Indonesia, and 5,000 doses to Nigeria; while registration is underway in India, Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar, Nigeria, and other countries. Currently, AVAC has 1.5 million doses in stock.