MABALACAT CITY --- An official of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) has expressed support to the combined efforts of the national and local government to cushion the effect of the bird flu scare which already affected the whole poultry industry in Pampanga.
CDA Central Luzon Director Marietta Wang aired her support to the campaign of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Provincial Government drive during the Pampanga Press Club media forum dubbed "News at Hues at the Park Inn" by Radisson Clark last Tuesday, August 15.
Wang said that several members of the CDA in the poultry industry, which are situated in Pampanga and nearby Bulacan province, were affected by the issue.
"We are willing to participate in the boodle fight which the Provincial Government of Pampanga is spearheading to show that we support the marketing campaign for the Pampanga poultry industry," Wang said.
Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol on Tuesday led the eating of balut, chicken arroz caldo, leche flan, and fried duck during an inspection and visit last Tuesday in San Luis town where thousands of chicken died of bird flu.
Piñol informed the public that the avian influenza in the province is “not harmful to humans.”
The secretary was accompanied by Vice-Governor Dennis Pineda, Mayor Venancio Macapagal, and Bureau of Animal Industry Veterinarian III Doctor Ronnie Domingo.
Piñol assured the public that the avian flu in Pampanga is not as harmful as what is disseminated in social networking sites which spread fear to the public and dissuades the consumption of chicken products coming from the province.
“I would like to contradict the public’s belief that the avian flu they know is harmful to humans. There is a lot of misinformation circulating to the public. There is no way that avian flu would be transmitted from birds to humans,” he said.