TARLAC CITY, Sept. 15 (PIA) -- Transboundary Animal Disease Center (TADC) will soon be constructed at Central Luzon State University in Nueva Ecija.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar announced in his speech during the turnover of the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory III (RADDL III) in Tarlac that another facility focusing on veterinary science is on its way to be built.

"This is the time to harness the power of science and technology, to look out the possibility of developing vaccine for African Swine Fever (ASF), and we'll see to it that we'll also be the first country to partner with say any advanced economies in the world that are now in the process of almost finalizing for developing their ASF vaccine, so that here in the Philippines we shall put to hold the spread of this ASF," the cabinet official said.

He said that emerging animal diseases will be handled in this center.

"We call it the TADC because it will not only look at science and research but also see to it that anything that has something to do with transboundary disease like ASF and the rest of this emerging, becoming important animal diseases will be properly handled by this center," Dar explained.

The budget for the facility has just been approved by President Duterte.

"I'd like to announce that the initial amount to be budgeted for this center is around PhP 245 million, which will be charged to the Bayanihan 2 budget that has just been signed by our President," he disclosed.

TADC will network with other laboratories such as RADDL III in order to target animal diseases affecting food security. (CLJD/GLSB-PIA 3)