THE provincial government of Pangasinan has extended the temporary ban on the entry of all ducks, quails, spent hens (culled), hatching eggs, pigeons, gamefowls, ready-to-lay pullet (RTL) and restricted the movement of other poultry birds and by-products from 17 provinces in the country to maintain its bird flu-free status until June 30 this year.

In Executive Order 16 issued on Thursday, Governor Ramon Guico III said the restriction and temporary total ban applies to the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, Sultan Kudarat, Benguet, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Isabela, Rizal, Quezon, Kalinga, Aurora, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.

“Pangasinan has no reported cases of Avian influenza subtype H5N1, however, there is a need to implement a temporary total ban on the entry of on the entry of all ducks, quails, spent hens (culled), hatching eggs, pigeons, gamefowls, RTL, and restriction on the movement of other poultry birds and by-products, strengthen regulatory services, border control, and intensify quarantine activities to maintain its present status,” he said.

The temporary ban and the restriction were supposed to end on March 2.

Guico said a veterinary certificate, veterinary shipping permit, animal welfare registration certificate, certificate of disease-free status, handler’s license certificate of registration, and transport carrier registration certificate are required for broiler poultry products to enter the province.

There are also different requirements for the entry of day-old chicks, hatching eggs, eggs, fresh poultry meat and frozen poultry meat products.

Guico has warned violators will be blacklisted in the province.

“Violators of this order shall be tagged as blacklist, and no longer be allowed to transact business on livestock and poultry shipment in the province,” he said.

The Provincial Veterinarian Quarantine Officers and the local Philippine National Police are empowered to enforce the restrictions at border checkpoints around the province, he added.

“The local chief executives are likewise directed to assist in the implementation of the order,” he said. (PNA)