New vaccine development center inaugurated in the Philippines
The state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to developing vaccines that protect animals from infectious diseases that threatens the country’s poultry and livestock industries.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) officially inaugurated a new vaccine development unit at the Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (CenTrAD) at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
The state-of-the-art facility will develop vaccines to protect poultry and livestock from infectious diseases, ensuring food security.
The state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to developing vaccines that protect animals from infectious diseases, particularly avian influenza (AI), African Swine Fever (ASF), foot-and-mouth Disease (FMD)—all major threats to the country’s poultry and livestock industries, as well as national food security.
To advance vaccine development, the DA has allocated PHP 151 million for a three-year research program, which includes acquiring the country’s first Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory (BSL-3). This high-security lab enables research on microbes—both indigenous and exotic—that can cause severe or potentially lethal diseases through inhalation. The program aims to produce vaccine prototypes by 2028 or sooner.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted the need for local vaccine production, explaining that while AI, ASF, and FMD vaccines are available internationally, those developed using indigenous strains tend to be more effective in preventing outbreaks. He stressed that a specialized facility like CenTrAD is essential for reducing economic losses from AI and ASF and protecting the country’s livestock against FMD.
AI has resulted in the culling of over 10 million chickens since its first recorded outbreak in 2017. Meanwhile, since the first ASF outbreak in 2019, the Philippine swine industry has suffered billions in losses, with the current population at only 60% of its pre-outbreak level of nearly 13 million heads.
Magpapatuloy pagkatapos ng patalastas.
Empowering the poultry and livestock industry
“The National Animal Vaccination Program is about empowerment—empowering our farmers with knowledge, our veterinarians with resources, and our nation with the assurance that we are building a stronger, healthier future. It is a testament to the power of science, the importance of collaboration, and the undeniable truth that prevention is always better than a cure,” said Secretary Tiu Laurel.
CenTrAD, a joint initiative between the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry and CLSU, is funded by the DA and aims to become the country’s leading center for diagnosing, researching, and developing technologies to combat transboundary animal diseases.
Located beside the CLSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, CenTrAD houses specialized laboratories for microbiology, virology, parasitology, histopathology, and molecular assays, along with an epidemiology training and digital analysis room. The facility’s construction, which began in 2019 with an estimated cost of PHP 230 million, was completed in 2022.
