BATANGAS CITY — The Batangas provincial government has set up “disinfectant” checkpoints at provincial entry points as preventive measure to avoid the spread of the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza virus.
In an advisory, the provincial government warned that the spread of the virus, which started in Pampanga province, is “highly possible.”
All livestock and feed transport carriers entering the province are now required to be disinfected at the animal inspection and disinfection checkpoints situated at different areas of Batangas.
Governor HermilandoMandanas and Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Romelito Marasigan have called on Batangueños to be alert and vigilant and help protect the province’s poultry industry.
Mandanas said under the Local Government Code or Republic Act 7160, local government units (LGUs) should take the necessary measures to prevent all forms of animal diseases.
He said Provincial Ordinance No. 006 otherwise known as “The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Prevention and Control Ordinance of the Province of Batangas” dated May 11, 2016, has banned the placing of chickens, ducks, and pigs together in the same area, cages or pens and to allow chicken to roam freely.
He also called on Batangas local officials, veterinarians, agriculturist/agricultural officers, technicians, farm owners/manager to monitor closely the commercial and backyard poultry farms in their areas and report immediately to the Provincial Veterinary Office if they have observed signs of the avian flu in the flock.
Backyard poultry raisers are urged to report “any unexplained mortality of two or more poultry farm households within a barangay/purok in a span of two days.”
The provincial government is also strictly enforcing the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) temporary ban on the movement of live domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, semen and manure from Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao and from Pampanga to other parts of Luzon.
Batangas agriculture and animal industry authorities here have been alerted on the movement of fresh meat, eggs and other uncooked poultry products within Luzon, which requires shipping permit and health certificate issued by port authorities for the past 21 days prior to shipment, especially at the Batangas International Port and other ports of entry. (PNA)