DA to report on bird flu rehabilitation efforts

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said that he will prepare a report to President Rodrigo Duterte on the bird flu crisis in the cabinet meeting in Malacañang on Monday, September 4.

Pinol said his report will include recommendations on how government could help the poultry industry recover.

"The damage to the industry could not still be quantified beyond the value of over 600,000 fowls which biosecurity teams, including Army soldiers culled to contain the spread of the virus. If it is any consolation, our losses in the first case of Bird Flu in the country is nowhere near the devastation of the Thai poultry industry when they were hit by Bird Flu four times. In the first Thai Bird Flu outbreak, 60-million fowls were killed but Thailand was able to recover," Piñol said.

The DA Central Office had earlier turned over to its Central Luzon regional office the P31 million calamity funds to cover the payment for culling operations.

It could be recalled that the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) has readied an initial loan amount of P50-million for farmers affected by the bird flu outbreak.

ACPC is the credit agency of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The P50-million fund was set up at the Rural Bank of San Luis and is expected to be available by next week.

The loan will be extended to some 2,000 farmers in San Luis town and other neighbouring areas in Pampanga whose poultry farms were hit by the Avian Influenza, according to the secretary.

“Each farming family will be entitled to a P25,000 loan package under the Survival and Recovery Loaning Program for farmers and fisher folks affected by natural and man-made calamity. Of the amount, P5,000 will be given as a grant while the remaining P20,000 will be a no-collateral and no-interest loan payable in two years,” Piñol said.

Duterte, during his Pampanga visit, disclosed the possibility of more financial support for the industry.

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