The African Swine Fever bulletin of Kabacan, North Cotabato as of Jan. 25, 2022. (Photo courtesy of MAO) COTABATO CITY - The African swine fever (ASF) has infected hogs in 33 villages of three towns of North Cotabato, officials said Wednesday. The ASF-affected adjacent towns were identified as Kabacan, Matalam, and M'lang. In Kabacan town, at least eight villages were affected by the hog disease. Kabacan Mayor Herlo Guzman, quoting a report from the municipal agriculture office (MAO), said about 68 farmer-hog raisers have so far lost more than 500 swine due to ASF infection. "The total number of hogs depopulated by MAO was 513 and still counting," Guzman said in a radio interview Wednesday. Six villages were considered as "green zone" or without any ASF cases but at risk for possible infection, the mayor added. Guzman appealed to all hog raisers to cooperate with the municipal agriculture technicians who regularly test swine within the five-kilometer radius from the area where the ASF was confirmed. The affected villages in Kabacan are Dagupan, Malamote, Bangilan, Upper and Lower Paatan, Malanduage, Katidtuan and Osias. He assured raisers whose hogs have been culled that they will get assistance from the local government unit and the Department of Agriculture - Soccsksargen (DA-12). In M'lang town, 19 villages have been tagged as red zones due to ASF infections, DA-12 officials said. In Matalam, six villages also have ASF cases, the DA-12 said in its report. Kabacan, Matalam and M'lang are known as hog-producing towns in North Cotabato. (PNA) }