Bohol on full entry-ban on birds,

Poultry from Luzon, Mindanao

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 8 (PIA) – Full ban on the entry of live birds, domestic and captured wild birds for ornamental purposes, and poultry dung from mainland Luzon and mainland Mindanao, as well as from other infected parts of the country form part of the first official acts Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado issued on his first day in office.

As early as June 30, when several newly installed local officials bask in the limelight of celebrations, Aumentado immediately rolled his sleeves to work on erecting the measures to keep Bohol Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) free.

Owning a multi-billion poultry industry with a huge percentage of it being in backyard farms, Bohol could be in serious trouble if by any chance, Bird Flu, a highly contagious viral disease caused by any of the many influenza A viruses, which can affect all birds and poultry in the country.

And to make matters worse, the bird flu subtype H5N1 can be cross-transmitted from poultry to humans, according to Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz, DVD.

Already confirmed as present in Pampanga and Bulacan as early as February 2022, the fowl disease has spread to Bengue, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Camarines Sur, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat. North Cotabato and Davao del Sur.

In fact, several more provinces are now under government surveillance and testing for confirmation of the presence of the virus that has proven to have the capacity to totally decimate poultry populations.

With poultry products getting shipped all over the provinces’ porous boundaries, and with some Boholanos culturally tied to gamefowl, chances of entry of infected birds and poultry may be high.

To this, a full ban is in place for the entry of ready-to-lay pullets, gamefowls, duck, quails, pigeons, both domesticated and captured wild birds for pets, day-old chicks, hatching eggs and even poultry manure (which can bring in the disease) from mainland Luzon and Mainland Mindanao.

On the other hand, through Executive Order No 5, series of 2022, Bohol Governor Aumentado also put in some regulations for the entry of the same, from bird-flu-free provinces in the Visayas.

By regulation, the governor means entry of these from Bird-flu-free provinces can be allowed provided that the shipment or carrier can show a five very important documents to prove that the shipment is from bird-flu-free area, free from disease and carries with it local transport permits.

Specific in the EO are: a Veterinary Health Certificate, which is issued by the Provincial Veterinarian where the avian specie being shipped originated.

Also needed is a Veterinary Shipping Permit, which can be obtained from the Bureau of Animal Industry authorized veterinary quarantine officer.

The third document needed is a Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction test whish shows negative results for avian influenza or bird flu.

For game-fowls, the test result must not be over 6 months from date of sample collection, for day-old chicks, it must be at least 28 days from the date of last sample collection, while for hatching eggs, the test results samples should be at least 14 days from collection.

The fourth document needed is a Certification of AI-free status, issued by the Provincial veterinarian attesting to the fact that no AI-outbreak has occurred in the sourced-farm and immediate area in the past 7 days before shipment.

Finally, shippers and carriers have to secure Local Transport Permit from the local Department of Environment and Natural Resources, for wild and domestic birds.

On the case of imported day-old chicks and hatching eggs from bird-flu-free countries to Bohol, thetransport of such should be accompanied by Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Import Clearance (SPS), Landing Permit, Notice of Quarantine and Veterinary Shipping permit so these should be available upon inspection, according to the new Executive Order. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

PROTECTING THE NATIVE CHICKEN INDUSTRY. With Manok Sano now getting back into the delectable taste of the Boholanos, keeping the local breeds insulated from disease is a huge help that the government can give to backyard owners who serve the tourism market. (rahc/PIABohol at Egays farm)