MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that the Philippines can now export livestock and pork products to "the rest of the world" as the country has been declared free from food and mouth disease without vaccination by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or the World Organization for Animal Health.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said that the OIE certification citing areas in Zone 2, which covers areas in Calabarzon, Ilocos, Central Luzon and Metro Manila, are FMD-free was received last May 26.
The other areas that were previously cleared by the OIE were:
Zone 1 (North Luzon)
Cordillera Administrative Region – Abra, Apayao, Benguet,
Baguio City, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mt. Province;
Region 1 – Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Launion
Region 2 – Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino
Region 3 – Aurora
Zone 3 (South Luzon)
Region 4-B – Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro and Romblon
Region 5 – Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Sorsogon
Visayas Zone (all provinces in regions 6, 7, and 8), including Palawan and Masbate
Mindanao Zone (all six regions and 29 provinces and islands).
Alcala said that negotiations are now ongoing for the export of pork products with Singapore and Malaysia. He said selected swine farms, abattoirs and meat processing establishments, initially in Mindanao, are being accredited by the department.
He added that since the country has also been declared free from avian flu, poultry products are now being exported to Japan.
The DA said that the FMD-free declaration also paves the way for the "free movement and transport" of swine and livestock within the country, which will boost the country's effort to improve its livestock herd and swine population. - By Angelo L. Gutierrez
