DAVAO CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) Avian Influenza Coordinator, Dr. Dannie Apelo, allayed fears of bird flu contamination in Davao region as the agency readies for the migration of birds in September.
Apelo said DA in Region 11 continuously monitors the entry of migratory birds to the Davao Region in September when the winter months set in until March when birds fly out from the Philippines. Apelo said migratory birds come to the Philippines because of the country’s tropical climate.
Apelo said DA is implementing preventive measures and their surveillance monitoring and testing team is ready for any blood sampling.
Davao region does not import chicken products from Luzon. Among the biggest producers in the region are Vitarich, San Miguel, Magnolia, Bounty, and some independent growers.
He said the entry of chicken and its by-products from Luzon are not accepted in Davao, which has an excess supply of poultry products.
Following the bird-flu outbreak in Pampanga, Apelo said DA central office has issued a memorandum circular temporarily banning the export of chicken, poultry meat, manure, broilers’ semen from Visayas and Mindanao.
For now, Apelo assured there is no reported Avian Influenza or bird flu case in the region. DA is also conducting surveillance and takes blood sampling of birds and fowl in so-called hotspot areas in Davao, Carmen and Dujali towns in Davao del Norte and Malalag in Davao Occidental where migratory birds from China fly-in in September and fly-out in March.
These migratory birds fly to the Philippines during the winter months. In Malalag, Davao del Sur where the hotspot area is surrounded by six barangays, they will collect 30 samples per barangay.
Starting next week and in September, Apelo added DA will visit poultry farms. He added that poultry owners have own veterinarians who can check conditions of the chicken and other fowls.
During an outbreak, poultry growers immediately call DA’s hotline number. “One case is already an outbreak,” Apelo said in an interview.
Apelo said the supply of poultry products in Davao Region remains steady.
Last Friday, the governor of Pampanga declared the province under a state of calamity after an outbreak of avian flu virus in San Luis town.
During the business forum at Dermpath on Tuesday, Apelo said the Avian Influenza Protection Program Task Force Probinsiya in the region has been activated to undertake different responsibilities.
The Task Force is composed of the DA, Department of Health (DOH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine National Police (PNP), Coast Guard and local government units.
"We are ready to address the issue and kaya nating gawin dito sa Davao Region," he said.
Davao Region has a strong poultry industry where it ranked second in Mindanao and 6th in the country. Northern Mindanao is top producer in the island. (Lilian C. Mellejor and Digna D. Banzon/PNA)
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