The City Government of Davao has issued a temporary ban on all live domestic and captured wild birds and their products coming from Luzon and other areas with cases of avian influenza H5N1 strain or bird flu in Davao City.
Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio issued Executive Order (EO) No. 19 Series of 2022 on May 13, 2022 to ensure that the poultry population and industry in Davao City remain safe from the highly pathogenic bird flu.
“On February 22, 2022, the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Bureau of Animal Industry – Animal Disease Diagnosis and Reference Laboratory (BAI-ADDRL) conducted a test of affected birds in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Real-Time – PCR) and were tested positive of the bird flu,” Duterte-Carpio said in the EO.
Under the said EO, the temporary ban covers all live domestic and captured wild birds from mainland Luzon, its island provinces, and other areas in the Philippines, along with their products and byproducts including day-old chicks, eggs, semen, manure, and feathers.
However, poultry from unrestricted regions and areas without reported cases of bird flu may still enter Davao City provided they adhere to entry requirements that include a veterinary health certificate, negative laboratory test result for avian influenza or ELISA Test, New Castle Disease-free certification, and Bureau of Animal Industry documents such as shipping permit, Livestock Handler’s License, and Registration of Transport Carrier.
Additional regulations for uncooked and cooked processed meat and egg products, and poultry by-products are also in place.
In coordination with the Office of the City Veterinarian, the city government will also conduct a rigid inspection at quarantine checkpoints, seaport, airport, and other points of entry into Davao City from restricted areas.
Stronger biosecurity, hygiene, and sanitation standards will be in place at poultry dressing plants, live bird markets, commercial poultry, and backyard poultry farms.
The city of Davao initially implemented a temporary ban on poultry products from Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat and Municipality of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur since they are among the first areas in Mindanao with detected cases of avian influenza.