A $643,000 US-funded animal disease diagnostic laboratory has been established in Tarlac City and turned over to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to boost the country’s biosecurity efforts against transboundary animal diseases.
In a news statement, the DA said the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL) in Paraiso, Tarlac City would provide “advanced service through modern technologies to ensure a healthy and resilient animal sector” in Central Luzon.
The RADDL, which was funded by the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (US DTRA), can provide services and tests for trade, disease surveillance, and animal health, regulatory and research, according to the DA.
The laboratory would also serve as a training facility for veterinary clinicians, students and professionals in the region.
The establishment of the RADDL comes as the country battles African swine fever (ASF), with majority of its devastation in Central Luzon, and avian influenza, which has struck the region as well.
“Central Luzon is frequently hit by animal diseases like foot and mouth disease, or FMD, in the 80s,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said during the opening of facility on Tuesday, September 15.
“Now with this facility here, we are positive that we can prevent and hopefully put an end to the most dreaded animal disease that is the African swine fever that has paralyzed the country’s hog industry for more than a year now and has threatened to demolish the billion-peso industry,” Dar added.
Dar said the RADDL-3 could now help the government conduct accurate diagnosis of major animal diseases and enable the government to decide quickly on what to do to prevent the further spread of any animal diseases here in Central Luzon.
With this, Dar urged Filipino scientists and veterinary specialists to develop a vaccine for ASF through “the power of science and technology.”
DTRA Chief Major Brian Smith said the Tarlac-based RADDL is part of an integrated network of laboratories that aim to identify diseases, or pathogens, prior to them spreading throughout the region, identify them early, and help mitigate the risk before it spreads.
“It aims to promote biosafety and biosecurity culture in biological testing laboratories in the DA, serve as training ground for DA Biosafety Officers, lead in the research and development that will contribute to decision-making, policy development and regulations, and provide accurate laboratory data analysis for formulation of regulations and standards,” Smith said.