EVEN before the 45-day ban on the entry of poultry meat products and eggs from Luzon expires Tuesday, April 19, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia issued Executive Order 9-A, which extends the ban on live poultry for another 45 days and now includes Mindanao.

The EO, Garcia said, is meant to protect the P12 billion poultry industry in Cebu.

Earlier, the governor had issued Executive Order (EO) 9, s. of 2022, banning the importation of live poultry, wild birds, including day-old chicks, semen, fresh eggs, embryonated eggs, fertilizer and other poultry products from Luzon for 45 days due to the threat of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 or bird flu, effective March 8.

Under the latest EO, issued last April 8, the ban on the entry of live birds from Luzon and Mindanao took effect last April 9 and covers all live poultry and wild birds, including day-old chicks and pullets, ready-to-lay pullets, ducks, quails, game fowl, pigeons and pet birds coming from Luzon, Mindanao and other avian influenza (AI)-affected areas or countries.

However, live birds coming from AI-free areas may enter Cebu, subject to the submission of regulatory documents.

Under EO 9-A, poultry meat products and eggs are allowed entry to Cebu subject to additional regulatory documents.

Importation of poultry products from AI-free nations is also allowed. Transshipment of live birds from AI-free provinces or areas will be allowed if done within the seaport or airport area or vicinity.