PH 1st Automated Road Bath Disinfection Facility Opened

 The country's first modern and automated road bath disinfection facility for animal transport carrier vehicles is now installed at the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) extension-STAR Tollway biosecurity and quarantine checkpoint in Santo Tomas, Batangas to avert the spread of the African swine fever (ASF) and other animal diseases.

On Monday, October 28, Agriculture Secretary William Dar, with Calabarzon regional executive director Arnel de Mesa, Batangas 3rd District Rep. Ma. Theresa Collantes and other agriculture officials led the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the first of its kind modern disinfectant facility.

"This (facility) is very important para hindi maikalat ang virus dito (to prevent the virus from spreading here), from Metro Manila and any other areas. First of its kind in the Philippines, and we'll see to it that we have more of this in those critical and strategic areas," Dar told a media interview.

He also witnessed the demonstration on the new and automated disinfection site where built-in power sprays are installed on both the ground and at both side vertical poles, resembling a carwasher.

He said animal transport vehicles have to pass through the facility where the disinfection sprays automatically operate.

"Ito ay (This is an) automated disinfection facility. Talagang dadaan ang truck dito at mamamatay ang virus dito pa lang (The truck is required to pass through and the virus is exterminated right here)," he added.

He said there are no new outbreak areas and expressed optimism the ASF virus will be controlled through cooperation among the hog raisers, livestock industry, swine traders with government authorities.

"We are also validating the different processed meat in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)," Dar said, adding the identities of those allegedly involved in processing contaminated pork meat products are still under investigation.

This, after contaminated hotdog, longganisa and tocino products were recently intercepted at the Calapan City port, Oriental Mindoro, and ensuing investigation that these food items were shipped out as processed meat from Central Luzon.

Meanwhile, de Mesa, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency, said a minimum of 12 automated road bath disinfection facilities will be installed on major entry and exit points in the Calabarzon region, with the country’s pioneering automated disinfection facility site here.

"We have chosen this site because every month we expect more than 5,000 vehicles passing through this expressway and around 75 percent of these is animal transport carriers that are required to pass through this automated disinfectant spray facility," de Mesa said.

Other similar automated road bath facilities will be installed in the region’s major entry and exit points at the SLEX, STAR Tollway, Cavite, Rizal and in the San Juan-Sariaya by-pass road in Quezon.