QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) reaffirmed its commitment to stop the spread of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus in the country by reinforcing disease control measures.
To further its efforts, President and Agriculture department Secretary Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI) to allot P177.78 million in funds for the government’s Avian Influenza Protection Program which is designed to roll out mitigating measures before and during outbreaks of bird flu.
DA-BAI Assistant Director Arlene Asteria Vytiaco stressed that they implementing intensified measures to address the problem. One of the ongoing measures is the close coordination with local government units (LGUs) and stakeholders as it carries out disease investigation activities and surveillance of quarantine zones. Also, part of the process is to systematically conduct culling and disposal of affected poultry animals at the first sign of detection.
Vytiaco added that DA-BAI has immediately implemented depopulation, intensive surveillance in the 1-kilometer quarantine zone as well as cleaning and disinfection at a layer poultry farm in Santa Maria, Bulacan after confirming it tested positive for HPAI Subtype H5N1 on January 31, 2023.
Since the first outbreak in early 2022, the bureau has reported six cases overall from Candaba and Masantol, Pampanga; Sta. Maria, Bulacan; the Cagayan Valley; Sultan Kudarat, and Sampaloc, Manila.
To hasten the elimination of influenza, DA-BAI suggests to farm owners and workers regularly practice cleaning and disinfection, limiting farm visitors, and doing bird-proofing strategies. Owners are also encouraged to immediately report unusual mortality to manage the risk of further infection.
In addition, DA-BAI provides up to 300,000 cash assistance to the affected poultry farms.
The DA has earlier issued memorandum orders to temporarily ban the importation of domestic and wild birds and poultry products from countries with confirmed AI virus outbreaks to prevent the entry of the HPAI virus into the country.
The presence of migratory birds that are common at this time of the year was also identified as a risk factor as they can affect the local poultry population with the virus from infected countries.
The Philippines is yet to regain its status as AI-free since the previous outbreaks that were recorded in 2017 and 2020. (MVV, PIA-CPSD)
