Amid bird flu outbreak; 6,600 pieces of balut from Luzon buried

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — A consignee in this city decided to bury about 6,600 pieces of balut she ordered from Luzon upon the request of a veterinary quarantine officer on the heels of a bird flu outbreak in Pampanga. 

The 22 crates of balut or duck eggs arrived at the port of Dumaguete Monday night on board an inter-island vessel from Candaba town in Pampanga province.

They were intended for a certain Roxane Pahayahay, resident of  Calindagan, this city.

However, the items were held until noon Tuesday and brought to the quarantine office of the Bureau of Animal Industry located at the port area, where they were supposed to be cooked for dispatch.

The eggs reportedly tested negative for the bird flu virus through the blood samples taken before the shipment.

Veterinary Quarantine Officer Doctor Alfonzo Tundag, nonetheless, convinced Pahayahay not to take chances as directed by the regional office. In turn, the consignee acceded to the request.

All in all, the shipment had a market value of  P120,000. 

Despite the losses she would incur, Pahayahay intimated to bury the shipment to avoid getting blamed in the event of any untoward incident.

In fact, she volunteered information to the quarantine officer that she had a shipment from Luzon of  about 6,600 pieces of balut.

Questions were raised as to why the shipment was allowed Sunday evening when the outbreak started last Friday.

There is a memorandum circular banning the shipment of poultry products from Luzon to other parts of the country on account of the bird flu outbreak in San Luis,  Pampanga. However, a copy of the circular reportedly arrived just on Monday.

Tundag could only theorized that the memorandum circular may not have reached the agencies concerned yet, or that a prior permit may have been issued.

Concerned on the safety of balut eaters in the city and the province of  Negros Oriental, Pahayahay mobilized her personnel and buried all the 22 crates of balut yesterday afternoon at the quarantine office compound, witnessed by Tundag and other personnel. (FREEMAN)