DA commended for fast action against bird flu

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— President Rodrigo Duterte yesterday commended Department of Agriculture (DA) officials for their “quick” and “decisive” action in containing the bird flu outbreak.

“I commend the DA officials for their quick and decisive action in squarely confronting and containing the avian flu outbreak,” Duterte said during his visit in this Pampanga capital city.

Duterte said the DA would extend assistance to affected poultry farms, through interventions like loans and capacity-building trainings.

The President added that awareness drives on avian influenza would be strengthened nationwide to avoid public’s speculation and confusion regarding the Influenza A H5N6 virus.

“We ask the full cooperation and assistance, not only of the poultry industry, but also of the general public, to make sure that disease outbreaks such as this are reported to authorities at the onset of its occurrence,” the President said.

“Our goal is clear and simple: Put the industry firmly back into the path of high growth and progress so that it can continue to contribute to our nation’s food security and to our economic growth,” he added.

The bird flu outbreak has affected the poultry farms in Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the spread of the virus resulted in the depopulation of 421,132 fowls in San Luis, Pampanga; 70,576 in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, and 100,421 in Jaen, Nueva Ecija.

Piñol reassured the public that poultry goods are now free from avian flu. (Ruth Abbey Gita/ SunStar Philippines)