Cebu City Tightens ASF Watch After 7 Pigs Test Positive in Backyard Farms
The Cebu City Government is stepping up its watch against African Swine Fever (ASF) after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the virus in backyard-raised pigs in an identified area of the city, prompting authorities to tighten containment measures and prepare for possible culling operations.
According to the Cebu City Public Information Office, the Department of Agriculture's Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed ASF viral DNA in blood samples taken from backyard hog-raising areas in the city. Samples collected on September 4 and tested on September 10 yielded two positive results, while a follow-up batch collected on September 10 and examined the next day turned up five more positive cases — bringing the total number of confirmed positive samples to seven. All samples were tested using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the standard method for confirming ASF infection.
Containment Measures Already in Place
The city, through its Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF), has been running several control measures even before this latest confirmation. Inter-barangay border controls have been extended in identified ASF hotspot areas to restrict the movement of pigs that could be carrying the virus. Disease surveillance teams continue collecting blood samples from backyard hog raisers reporting sick or dead pigs, with those samples sent straight to the DA regional lab for confirmation.
Authorities have also placed a 500-meter movement control radius around confirmed ASF-positive areas, with continuous monitoring of animals within that zone. On the ground, barangay livestock coordinators are keeping tabs on pig illnesses and deaths so the city can respond quickly when new cases pop up.
As part of its livelihood support push, the city has already started distributing cockerels to backyard hog raisers who took part in information campaigns on ASF prevention and livestock insurance — a small cushion for raisers whose livelihoods depend on their pigs.
What's Coming Next: Possible Culling, Alternative Livelihoods
The city is now preparing more serious interventions for the confirmed ASF-positive areas, including the possible culling of hogs within that 500-meter radius. City officials stressed this would only happen following national guidelines, veterinary assessment, and proper authorized procedures — not an automatic or blanket cull.
If it pushes through, the operation won't be a one-office job. It will involve coordination among the Cebu City Police Office, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, barangay disaster responders, the Department of Engineering and Public Works, and the affected hog raisers themselves.
To soften the economic blow, the city is also preparing to roll out layer chicks to affected backyard hog raisers, with support from UNIFEEDS, giving families an alternative source of income while their pig-raising operations are paused or curtailed due to the outbreak.
What This Means for Cebu City Residents
For hog raisers in and around the affected barangays, this means tighter movement restrictions on pigs, closer monitoring from barangay coordinators, and possibly having to give up sick or exposed animals if culling proceeds. Residents in the 500-meter radius zones should expect more visible activity from veterinary and disaster response teams in the coming days.
For the general public, this outbreak underscores the importance of prompt reporting of sick or dead pigs to barangay livestock coordinators, as early detection helps the city respond faster and limit the spread to nearby backyard farms.
The DVMF said it continues to closely monitor affected and surrounding areas, working with national agencies, city departments, and local communities to strengthen prevention, surveillance, and control of the disease.
Quick Summary
What: ASF viral DNA confirmed in 7 blood samples from backyard hogs in Cebu City; city preparing possible culling and stronger containment
Where: Identified backyard hog-raising areas within Cebu City (specific barangay not named in release)
When: Positive results confirmed September 10 and 11, 2026
Impact on Visayas: Direct — Cebu City hog raisers face movement controls, possible culling, and are being offered alternative livelihood support (layer chicks via UNIFEEDS)
Source: Cebu City Public Information Office (#CebuCityPIO)