Pangasinan extends poultry ban from 17 provinces

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — The provincial government of Pangasinan has extended the ban on the entry of poultry and its by-products from 17 provinces to maintain its bird flu-free status until June 30.

In an executive order issued on Thursday, Gov. Ramon Guico III said the ban applies to Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, Sultan Kudarat, Benguet, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Isabela, Rizal, Quezon, Kalinga, Aurora, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.

The ban, which was implemented for one month, was supposed to be in effect only until March 2.

Guico noted that Pangasinan still has no reported case of avian influenza.

Veterinary certificates, veterinary shipping permits, animal welfare registration certificates, certificates of disease-free status, handler’s license certificates of registration and transport carrier registration certificates are required before poultry products can enter Pangasinan.

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

Guico said violators would be blacklisted in the province.