CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) over the weekend lifted the ban on the movement of poultry products within the seven kilometer radius controlled zones in Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.

"Following the recommendations of biosecurity experts, I signed a Memorandum Circular lifting the quarantine restrictions in the 7-kilometer Controlled Area Radius around the town of San Luis, Pampanga and in Jaen and San Isidro towns in Nueva Ecija," Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said.

Quarantine Restrictions and Surveillance, however, are still in placed within the one-kilometer radius of the three towns, according to Piñol.

The DA said it will implement an interim rule of "test and slaughter" for the poultry heads coming from the farms within the seven kilometer zone.

This means that farms due for harvest will be inspected by the Provincial Veterinary Office for bio security and flock health assessment.

The qualifying criteria of unexplained deaths that doubles within three successive days will be ruled out.

Laboratory tests will also be conducted to check if the birds are free from avian flu virus.

Piñol said the birds that meet this criteria will only be slaughtered in National Meat Inspection Service-accredited dressing plants.

Hatching eggs on the other hand should be sourced from farms without unusual mortalities and transported inside disinfected and sealed vans.

Balut on the other hand should come from farms which tested negative with avian flu virus.