San Juanico Bridge, Leyte and Samar, Philippines. | Source: Morten Nærbøe

The Eastern Visayas region (Region 8) is one of the most strategic areas of the Philippines consisting of six provinces in three main islands (Samar, Leyte, and Biliran). 

Located in the eastern seaboard of the country, the region serves as a major corridor for travel and commercial activities of people going to and coming from the northern and southern parts of the Philippines, largely via the Pan-Philippine Highway (AH 26), which passes through these islands. 

With only about 3.2% of the country’s total swine production, Region 8’s requirement of about 200,000 heads of pigs/year is being supplied by local farmers and outside traders from Luzon and Mindanao*.

In 2019 alone, at least 9,000 pigs were supplied by Luzon to meet the pork requirements of the region’s ~4.5M populaiton. Moreover, at least 95% of pig operations is still considered backyard, and Leyte shares more than 50% of the total production**.

Since the region is still currently free from African Swine Fever (ASF), the role of the different stakeholders of the region’s swine industry in the maintenance of the ASF-free status of the whole Visayas (and beyond) cannot be overemphasized. 

In this light, the College of Veterinary Medicine, Visayas State University in partnership with the Philippine College of Swine Practitioners (PCSP) proudly presents:

The  Pinoy Pork Challenge Roadshow 2020 

Theme: “Updates on the Control of African Swine Fever in the Philippines”