Bird flu checkpoints in Pampanga village to continue

Checkpoints at a village in San Luis, Pampanga will continue despite the Department of Agriculture's (DA) declaration that the seven-kilometer radius quarantine zone in the town has been cleared of the avian influenza virus.

Local authorities said that bird flu checkpoints in Barangay San Carlos will continue until September 6, as ordered by Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda.

Meanwhile, the local government in San Luis town is mulling the implementation of stricter rules in securing permits for poultry products due to the bird flu outbreak.

Robert Joe Sagum, head of the municipal disaster risk reduction and management office, said they may revise the rules on the local poultry industry.

Poultry owner within the 500-meter radius have expressed concern that their businesses might be affected by the stricter rules in securing a permit.

Some poultry owners said that they may no longer engage in poultry business and instead transfer to backyard fish pond.

Disinfection and deodorization of areas were thousands of culled fowls were buried are ongoing, Sagum said.

Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol announced the bird flu outbreak in Barangay San Carlos early last month.

Piñol immediately ordered a ban on the shipment of fowls from Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao.

At least 200,000 fowls, including quails and chicken, have been culled following the outbreak.

The Agriculture department has also lifted the shipment ban. —report from Rommel Ramos/Ted Cordero/ALG, GMA News