DAVAO CITY—The city government fortified its borders against entry of fowls and live birds, especially in the southwest where at least a town and a city have reported infection among its fowls in the last two months.
The new border controls were directed by the city government “banning the entry of live birds and their by-products from infected areas and adding more checkpoints at all entry and exit points of the city.”
Acting Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte signed Executive Order 19 (series of 2022) last week, which ordered a temporary ban on the entry of all live domestic and captured wild birds and their products and by-products. The latter includes day-old chick, eggs, semen, manure and feathers from Luzon and other areas with reported cases of Avian Influenza.
The ordinance also sets the requirements for the entry of live domestic and captured wild birds and their products and by-products from unrestricted regions into the City of Davao.
Dr. Cerelyn B. Pinili, head of the City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO), said the city has put up 15 quarantine checkpoints due to many bypass roads. Pinili added that the Department of Agriculture (DA) has confirmed avian flu cases in neighboring provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato and Magsaysay town in Davao del Sur.
The DA earlier detected in Bulacan and Pampanga the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 strain, commonly known as bird flu, using the real-time polymerase chain reaction. The HPAI H5N1 strain was detected last March in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat province and the municipality of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, by April.
The checkpoints at all entry and exit points were coordinated with the Philippine Army, Davao City Police Office and Task Force Davao.
Pinili also called on the public to cooperate and help maintain Davao City as Avian-Influenza-free. The CVO chief also asks for patience and cooperation of shippers regarding the procedures at checkpoints. Pinili said these procedures aim to ensure compliance with required documents upon entry to the city.
According to him, the ban aims to protect the general public from the ill effects of Bird Flu.
He said a Meat Inspection Certificate (MIC) and/or a Certificate of Meat Inspection (COMI) issued by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) and a shipping permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) must be presented before allowing the entry of fresh and frozen meat. Those entering uncooked processed meat and meat products are required to have a shipping permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
The manufacturers and distributors of these products shall secure the License to Operate (LTO) for the meat processing plant or Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If there is no LTO and CPR from the FDA, the LTO issued by NMIS, which is still valid, shall be honored.
A shipping permit is no longer required for cooked processed meat and egg products (including but not limited to fresh egg and powdered egg). However, manufacturers and distributors of these products shall secure the LTO and CPR from FDA.
The city prohibits movement of poultry dung and/or manure.
EO 19 has mandated City Veterinary inspectors to intercept the entry and confiscate live domestic and wild birds, their products and by-products, from restricted regions during the conduct of inspection at quarantine checkpoints, seaports, airport and other points of entry.
All confiscated items must be shipped back to origin by the owner or shipper at his expense.
Source: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/05/22/davao-city-fortifies-borders-vs-avian-flu/
