Monday, March 19, 2007 DENR tightens watch vs wild bird trade
* Illegal wild bird trading ranked number three in the list of syndicated crimes in the Philippines, next to drug trafficking and gun running
ENVIRONMENT officials have deputized some 60 wildlife enforcement officers across Central Mindanao to prevent bird flu from hitting the area.
The deputization is part of tightening the security belt against illegal wild life trading in the region, a possible source of avian influenza outbreak that could devastate not just the economy of the region but also of the entire country.
"The Philippines remains to be a bird flu-free country; however, the possibility of having a bird flu outbreak here is still imminent…one of the sources of avian influenza is due to illegal trading of wildlife such as those smuggled exotic caged birds, to name a few," said Musa Saruang, a technical director at the regional environment department.
"This kind of trading is a big threat to our health and our economy, which cannot be left ignored. Imagine the tremendous loss of human lives and livelihood opportunities if ever our country will be infected with the bird flu virus," he added.
Aside from curbing illegal bird smuggling, the deputized wild life enforcers will also implement Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Protection and Conservation Act of 2000.
Saruang said currently, illegal wild bird trading ranked number three in the list of syndicated crimes in the Philippines, next to drug trafficking and gun running.
"The wildlife enforcement officers are making a close watch over port of entries in the region such as the Makar Wharf in General Santos and the whole stretch of the Sarangani Bay," he said.
Smuggling of wildlife through our airports (General Santos City and Cotabato City) is next to impossible because these facilities are strictly guarded, Saruang added.
Earlier reports revealed that smuggled wildlife from Indonesia, a bird flu-infected country, passes through Sarangani town in Davao del Sur for distribution here and in other parts of Central Mindanao.(BSS)
