The Quezon City government announced on November 27 that 14 lechon establishments in the La Loma district, previously subject to temporary closures due to African swine fever (ASF), have been declared free of the virus—easing consumer concerns ahead of the Christmas season.
According to a city statement carried by the Philippine News Agency, local authorities coordinated with the City Veterinary Department and the QC Health Department to conduct daily disinfection, monitoring, and compliance checks. These measures led to the clearance of the establishments from ASF detection.
Earlier this month, the same lechon zone was temporarily shut down after routine veterinary inspections found ASF in hogs linked to the district’s pork supply, prompting strict biosecurity controls.
Quezon City’s disclosure reflects ongoing efforts to balance food safety oversight with economic activity in one of Metro Manila’s most popular culinary districts.
The Bureau of Animal Industry and agriculture authorities have repeatedly emphasized that ASF affects only pigs and wild boar and does not infect humans, a distinction crucial to public understanding and consumer confidence during the peak pork-consumption holiday period.
Local actions and timeline: closures, disinfection, and reopening
On November 13, 2025, the Quezon City government issued Temporary Closure Orders (TCOs) against 14 lechon stores in La Loma after hogs tested positive for ASF during inspections conducted by the City Veterinary Department and the BAI.
Officials recommended culling affected hogs to prevent further spread and established checkpoints to control pig movements into and out of the area. City authorities assured the public that the ASF incident was isolated and posed no risk to human health.
In the two weeks that followed, daily disinfection and monitoring were carried out, and establishments were required to comply with sanitary, safety, and health protocols before resuming operations. According to GMA Integrated News, three of the 14 establishments had already met reopening requirements by the end of the compliance period.
A December 1 report from ABS-CBN News confirmed that many of the affected lechon shops have since reopened, although some operators continue to recover from the brief disruption during the holiday sales period.
What ASF is—and what it is not
African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic pigs and wild boar, with mortality rates that can approach 100 percent in infected herds.
However, ASF is not a zoonotic disease. It does not infect humans and does not cause illness in people who consume properly cooked pork products. International animal-health authorities describe ASF as a catastrophic animal disease with severe economic and food-system impacts—but no human health risk.
The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health both classify ASF as a disease requiring stringent control measures because of its capacity to devastate pig populations.
FAO’s Asia-Pacific monitoring updates document ASF outbreaks across multiple countries and highlight the challenges of managing transboundary animal diseases.
In December 2025, the Philippines temporarily banned imports of pigs and pork products from Spain and Taiwan following ASF detections, underscoring how seriously the Department of Agriculture treats the disease as a threat to the domestic swine industry—even though it poses no risk to consumers.
ASF’s entry and persistence in the Philippines
ASF was first confirmed in the Philippines in September 2019, after laboratory testing overseas verified the presence of the virus. The disease was subsequently reported in multiple provinces, triggering a prolonged swine-health crisis.
A 2024 peer-reviewed review indexed in PubMed Central documents how ASF spread rapidly from initial detections in Rizal Province in mid-2019 to other regions. The review identifies risk factors such as swill feeding and uncontrolled movement of pigs and people.
Another 2024 review published in MDPI Animals outlines Philippine control strategies, including enhanced surveillance, movement restrictions, and biosecurity protocols aimed at limiting transmission and protecting livelihoods dependent on hog production.
Holiday eating, heart risk, and public-health context
While ASF does not affect humans, dietary risks associated with high-fat foods such as lechon remain a public-health concern.
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for an estimated 19.8 million deaths in 2022, or roughly 32 percent of global mortality. Most of these deaths are linked to heart attacks and strokes.
In the Philippines, ischemic heart disease consistently ranks as the leading cause of death. Provisional data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show that cardiovascular conditions accounted for a significant share of deaths throughout 2025.
Health professionals caution that lechon, while culturally significant, is high in saturated fat and sodium. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat intake to less than 6 percent of daily calories, while WHO dietary guidance supports keeping saturated fats below 10 percent of total energy intake.
READ: The Mood-Boosting Power of Food: A Holiday Survival Guide
Mindful eating during the holidays
Behavioral strategies such as eating slowly, moderating portions, and balancing meals with vegetables and fruits are supported by evidence cited in cardiovascular-health guidance.
The American Heart Association’s holiday advice emphasizes mindful eating, savoring food without rushing, and avoiding overconsumption—particularly for individuals with existing health conditions.
Public-health guidance also consistently encourages regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake, and avoiding tobacco, all of which help reduce cardiovascular risk beyond the holiday season.
Economic and social impacts in La Loma
The temporary closures in La Loma illustrate how animal-health concerns can quickly affect local economies, particularly those tied to food traditions.
According to ABS-CBN News, some business owners continue to face lost income and lingering consumer hesitation even after the ASF-free declaration, reflecting the broader economic ripple effects of closures during a peak sales period.
City officials have pledged continued support to ensure compliance with safety standards and restore confidence in La Loma’s lechon industry, long regarded as a culinary landmark.
Balancing tradition with health and safety
As Christmas approaches—a season when lechon is a centerpiece of family celebrations—the public message from authorities is clear: ASF does not pose a human health risk, but vigilance in sourcing and production remains essential.
At the same time, health professionals urge moderation to protect cardiovascular health. Combining cultural tradition with science-based guidance on food safety and nutrition helps ensure that holiday celebrations remain joyful, safe, and sustainable.
Photo from Vecteezy
