Mindanao pushed to be separate quarantine zone

THE island group of Mindanao should be a separate quarantine zone from Luzon and Visayas, said a Davao Poultry and Egg Producers, Inc. (DPEPI) executive.

In connection to the Avian Flu outbreak in Pampanga last month, DPEPI president lawyer Lalaine dela Victoria pushes for a policy that would allow Mindanao to be a separate quarantine zone in the event that a similar case may happen in the future again.

During the weekly Habi at Kape press conference at Abreeza Ayala Malls last Wednesday, September 13, Dela Victoria said the Philippines used to be one of the few countries that export live chicken that is not yet affected by the Avian Flu virus. With the outbreak in Pampanga last month, she said there had been misunderstanding that the Philippines in general is affected by the outbreak, which is not true as Mindanao is far from Luzon and is separated by sea.

“We would want to push the policy that Mindanao will be created as a different zone from the two islands, Luzon and Visayas so that if example there is an outbreak in Luzon, Mindanao will be another zone that they would not just declare the ban in Luzon and the rest of the Philippines. We would want to create three zones in the Philippines so that Mindanao will have its own zoning policies here and then we can cordon the island in case of diseases,” said dela Victoria adding this policy, once approved will help preserve the integrity of Mindanao.

When asked for the legalities that the policy may undergo prior to approval, dela Victoria said this would only need an administrative order issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA) as the Bureau of Quarantine is an attached agency of DA.

Thorough discussion of this will happen during the consultation that will take place at the SMX Convention Center on September 21 to 23, simultaneous with the Davao Agri Trade Expo 2017.