Abra bans winged animals from Pampanga

BANGUED, Abra — Winged animals, poultry, day-old chicks, eggs and even chicken manure from Pampanga are now banned from entering this province.

Governor Jocelyn Bernos said they have already set up animal quarantine checkpoints in all entry points of the province to closely monitor all meat and animal products entering Abra.

Since Sunday, a quarantine team from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), provincial veterinary office, police, in coordination with the meat inspectors of the local government units, have been guarding 24/7 all entry points to the province.

Bernos said Executive Order 13-2017 was issued August 13 as preventive measure to assure the province is free from the Avian Influenza disease which has affected chickens in Pampanga.

“In view of the said outbreak and to prevent further spread of the disease in the province, there is a need to ban the movement of live domestic and wild birds including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and poultry semen from the province of Pampanga,” the order states.

Even chicken manure from Pampanga used as fertilizer in farms is banned from entry.

The main checkpoint was set-up in Tangadan, at the road

connecting Abra and Ilocos Sur.

The order came following an emergency meeting on Sunday with the poultry breeders and end users to come up with preventive measures that will protect the poultry industry and residents in Abra.

Bernos said the ban, regulation and movement is temporary.

“The entry of fresh, uncooked poultry products from other provinces must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the veterinary office of the local government where the animals are coming from. The certification must specifically state that the products were sourced from farms with no incidence of Avian Influenza virus,” added the order.

Bernos revealed there are two suppliers from Pampanga who deliver poultry products in Abra. The last delivery was last Thursday.

“We are not risking it. We tested and monitored the deliveries that came in last Thursday,” she said.

Despite the ban, Bernos assured residents there will be enough supplies from Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan. As of today, Bernos said Abra is still free from the bird flu virus.

Danding Antolin, Animal Inspector of the Bureau of Animal Industry in Abra, in an interview at the quarantine checkpoint in Tangadan, San Quintin, said that since Sunday, a number of truckers carrying winged animals, including dressed chicken have been disallowed entry.