With the looming threat of African Swine Fever entering the Philippines, both public and private organizations are taking preventive steps to ensure the safety and security of the country’s hog industry.
Showing support to the government’s efforts on ASF, Pilmico launched #M3Time, an awareness campaign that centers on the importance of biosecurity. Ultimately, the campaign promotes self-awareness to all individuals highlighting their integral role in keeping diseases like ASF out of the country.
In a turnover ceremony last July 16, 2019, Pilmico granted 500 1L bottles of Dualguard 20 disinfectants for footbaths to be placed in airports and seaports to the DA-BAI. Along with this, up-to-date information and details on ASF, in the form of pull-up banners, were also produced to be placed in major airports and seaports to encourage travelers to be more wary of being carriers of the virus.
Pilmico’s efforts to combat ASF doesn’t stop there. The #M3Time campaign continues through the Pilmico Food, Agri, and Livelihood Expo, a touring exposition of Pilmico’s products and services in different provinces packed with free training, seminars, and consultations with experts in farming, baking, and business. At the expo, Pilmico highlights the key messages of the campaign which are: Maglinis, Magtanong, and Manigurado, steps which individuals and local farmers can take to prevent the entry of ASF to their local communities. The campaign also enables local farmers to practice biosecurity measures in their farms. Pilmico ensures this by teaching them how to properly disinfect and by introducing them to the #M3Time checklist, a set of actionable items that farmers can follow in order to make sure that their farms are clean and most importantly, biosecure.
#M3Time and by showing support for the DA-BAI are just some ways Pilmico stays true to its promise of being the backyard farmer’s Partner for Growth; ensuring and securing the safety of local hog agribusinesses and essentially, the country’s P200-B hog industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is African Swine Fever (ASF) and why was it an urgent concern for the Philippines in 2019?
African Swine Fever is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs. It has no vaccine and no treatment, and its spread across Asia in 2018 and 2019 posed a direct threat to the Philippines’ approximately PHP 200-billion hog industry. With ASF already affecting China, Vietnam, and neighboring countries, the risk of the virus entering the Philippines through travelers, imported products, or unregulated movement of animals and animal products was considered serious and time-sensitive.
What is the #M3Time campaign and what does the name stand for?
M3Time is a biosecurity awareness campaign launched by Pilmico in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI). The M3 stands for three Tagalog action words: Maglinis (Clean), Magtanong (Ask), and Manigurado (Ensure). Together, these three steps form a practical, accessible biosecurity checklist that any individual — from travelers at airports to backyard pig farmers — can act on to reduce the risk of spreading ASF. The campaign frames biosecurity as a personal responsibility rather than a technical government obligation.
How does #M3Time align with Pilmico’s identity as a Partner for Growth to backyard farmers?
Biosecurity directly affects a backyard farmer’s most fundamental business risk: the survival of their livestock. By taking the initiative to run a national biosecurity awareness and disinfection campaign — rather than waiting for the government to act alone — Pilmico demonstrates that being a Partner for Growth means protecting the farmer’s livelihood as much as enhancing it. A farmer who loses their pigs to ASF loses their entire investment. #M3Time translates Pilmico’s partnership philosophy into practical, farm-level risk reduction.
What physical materials did Pilmico donate to DA-BAI for the campaign?
At a formal turnover ceremony on July 16, 2019, Pilmico donated 500 one-liter bottles of Dualguard 20 disinfectants specifically formulated for footbaths to the DA-BAI. These were intended for placement at airports and seaports — the primary entry points where ASF could be introduced by returning travelers. Alongside the disinfectants, Pilmico also produced informational pull-up banners with current ASF facts and biosecurity reminders for display at these high-traffic points of entry.
How did the #M3Time campaign reach backyard pig farmers beyond airports and seaports?
The campaign extended its reach through the Pilmico Food, Agri, and Livelihood Expo — a touring road show visiting different provinces that combines product demonstrations, free training, and expert consultations on farming, baking, and business. Within the expo, #M3Time was embedded as a key feature: more than 100 farms across 9 barangays in Bayawan, Negros Oriental received the #M3Time checklist, and Pilmico animal production specialists conducted on-farm visits to guide farmers through each step and award a biosecurity seal of approval to compliant farms.
