The Department of Agriculture (DA) has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds from Argentina, following a confirmed outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in that country.
Signed on September 5, Memorandum Order no. 48 also bars the entry of poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen for artificial insemination sourced from Argentina, after the H5N1 bird flu subtype was detected in the northern region of Buenos Aires on August 17. Argentine authorities reported the outbreak to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on August 20.
“We are imposing the import ban because the H5N1 subtype poses a serious risk to both poultry and public health,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. “As directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the DA must protect not only food security but also public health.”
The order directs the Bureau of Animal Industry to immediately suspend all applications and the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for POULTRY commodities from Argentina.
Culling due to bird flu outbreaks has already cost the Philippine poultry industry hundreds of millions of pesos and thousands of jobs. As of September 10, after Camarines Sur has been declared avian influenza-free, eight provinces across four regions remain affected by the virus.
The DA continues to monitor global developments to safeguard both the local poultry industry and public health.
