ILOILO City – The city government is again prohibiting the entry of live poultry, poultry products and byproducts from Luzon and Mindanao.
“There is a need to protect the poultry industry of Iloilo City and the general public from Avian Influenza,” read Mayor Jerry Treñas’ Executive Order No. 005-2022 setting the ban for 30 days.
New cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or bird flu have been recorded in Luzon and Mindanao.
Effective 12:01 a.m. today, the temporary ban is imposed on the following:
* all live birds (poultry and non-poultry) including day-old chicks, pullets, hatching eggs, ready-to-lay pullets, semen, fresh egg, embryonated eggs, manure, ducks and quails and other poultry products and byproducts from Luzon and Mindanao
* pigeons for racing, flying, training, brooding and other related activities originating from Luzon and Mindanao, and those which have traveled thereto and intending to return to Iloilo City
* gamefowls from Luzon and Mindanao and those which have traveled thereto and intending to return to Iloilo City
Avian Influenza is a highly contagious viral disease caused by any Influenza A virus affecting several species of food producing birds (chickens, turkeys, quails, guinea row,. etc.). as well as pet birds and wild birds.
Treñas’ executive order, however, allows transshipment of imported day-old chicks, day-old pullets, hatching eggs as well as gamefowls from International airports and seaports to Iloilo City.
The transport of poultry meat from Luzon and Mindanao to Iloilo City shall be allowed only if the shipment is accompanied by a Meat Inspection Certificate (MIC) for domestic meat products or Certificate of Meat Inspection (COMI) for imported meat products.
MIC or COMI will be issued by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) along with the Shipping Permit issued by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
Strict implementation of quarantine inspections shall also be imposed in all ports of entry – land, sea, or air – in Iloilo City.
Treñas tasked the City Veterinary Office, and in coordination with the Department of Agriculture 6’s Regulatory Division and the BAI – Regional Veterinary Quarantine Service 6 to inspect the regulatory requirements of all incoming poultry and poultry products.
In May, after more than a month of ban, the city government through a previously issued executive order opened its borders to eggs and day-old chicks from areas not affected by the avian Influenza or bird flu to help poultry farmers.
But seeing the impending threat again following new confirmed cases of bird flu in the provinces of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, Benguet, North Cotabato, South Colabato, Maguindanao, and Isabela from April 30 to June 10, the city government opted to close its border again./PN
