Quarantine Alert! PH BANS ENTRY OF PORK FROM JAPAN DUE TO CSF

By Manny Piñol

Secretary of Agriculture

At 12 noon today, I have alerted the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) through Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Segfredo Serrano to immediately impose a ban on the entry of pork and other pork products from Japan following reports of its spread in that country.

I issued the verbal directive to the BAI through USec Serrano right after I received a link to a news article from newspaper reporter Maureen Simon of the Philippine Star who sought my reaction to the story published by The Japan News.

A written formal directive will be issued shortly on the imposition of the Temporary Ban against the entry of pork and pork products from Japan which will be in effect while our Quarantine Officials are validating the reports with the OIE or the World Animal Health Organisation.

In view of this, all Quarantine Officers in Ports of Entry all over the country are directed to implement this directive immediately.

The Quarantine Officers are also advised to review their Quarantine Protocols, including the foot baths installed at the Ports of Entry and the monitoring of all meat products being brought into the country by tourists.