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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The ban on live birds and poultry products here has been expanded to include more areas outside Luzon.
The Cebu Provincial Government recently announced that it has also prohibited the importation of poultry products and byproducts from Mindanao and overseas countries with confirmed cases of bird flu.
This after Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issued Executive Order (EO) No. 9 – A, extending the poultry ban for Luzon, Mindanao, and other bird flu-affected countries for 45 days.
“The entry into the Province of Cebu of live birds (poultry and non- poultry), including day-old chicks, day-old pullets, ready-to-lay pullets, ducks, quails, game fowl, pigeons and pet birds, originating from Luzon, Mindanao, and other Al (avian influenza)-affected areas or countries shall be prohibited for a period of forty-five (45) calendar days,” portions of the EO stated.
The EO was signed last April 9, copies of which were published on social media last April 19.
Aside from expanding the poultry ban, the Capitol has also disallowed the transport and shipment of bird dung, bird manure, and bird feathers into Cebu, and even scaled up biosecurity measures for the entry of live birds and poultry products coming from areas with no confirmed cases of avian influenza.
They have imposed additional requirements for importers and distributors transporting live birds, poultry products and byproducts which are enumerated below:
Live Birds
- Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the Provincial Veterinarian where the live birds originate from
- Veterinary Shipping Permit issued by the Bureau of Animal Industry or Deputized Veterinary Quarantine Officers
- ELISA/HI/RT-PCR Negative Laboratory Test Result on Avian Influenza
- Certification from the Provincial Veterinarian that No Avian Influenza Outbreak has occurred in the sourced farm and area in the past seven days prior to shipment
- Local Transport Permit (LTP) issued by the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources for wild birds
Poultry Meat Products
- Domestic Poultry Meat – Meat Inspection Certificate (MIC) issued by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) and Veterinary Shipping Permit
- Imported Poultry Meat – Certificate of Meat Inspection (COM) issued by the NMIS and Veterinary Shipping Permit
- Processed Poultry and canned poultry products – License to Operate (LTO) and Certificate of Product Registration issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Eggs
- Table eggs, salted eggs, quail eggs – Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the Provincial Veterinarian, Veterinary Shipping Permit, and ELISA/HI/ RT-PCR Negative Laboratory Test Result on Avian
Influenza from the sourced flock
- Embryonated eggs – Veterinary Health Certificate issued by Provincial Veterinarian, the Veterinary Shipping Permit, Certification of Ultraviolet Light Disinfection from the Veterinary Quarantine Officer at the port of departure, and ELISA/HI/ RT-PCR Negative Laboratory Test Result on Avian Influenza from the sourced flock
- Hatching eggs – Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the Provincial Veterinarian, Veterinary Shipping Permit, and ELISA/HI/ RT-PCR Negative Laboratory Test Result on Avian Influenza from the sourced flock
- Hatching eggs shall be put in plastic trays and containers for cleaning and disinfection
Imported Poultry
- SPS Import Clearance
- Landing Permit
- Notice of Quarantine
- Veterinary Shipping Permit
Cebu remains free from any confirmed cases of bird flu.
It can be recalled that the Capitol ordered the ban of live birds, poultry products, and byproducts from Luzon last March.
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