Exactly three years ago today, I was confronted with the biggest challenge in my job as Secretary of Agriculture, the Bird Flu Outbreak in San Luis, Pampanga and at least two other towns.
How the Department of Agriculture was able to contain the outbreak in just 45 days was a story of practical farm knowledge, scientific gathering of data, quick and decisive action, surgical operations and outstanding coordination between all agencies of government applied to efficiently handle a crisis.
The first report of the outbreak came from then DA Regional Director Roy Abaya who relayed it to former Assistant Secretary for Livestock Dr. Enrico Garzon.
Immediately, a team headed by Dr. Ronnie Domingo (now Director of BAI) and Dr. Arlene Vytiaco was organized to handle the crisis.
Since the report of the outbreak came one month after signs of the diseases were noticed in the farm, we had no idea how far the virus had spread.
The farmer in me helped me make instant decisions in handling the crisis following the practical farm practice of isolating and eliminating sick chicken.
Immediately, the Bureau of Animal Industry imposed a lockdown for poultry and other fowls for the whole of Luzon which prevented the shipment of eggs to other parts of the country.
When it was determined that the virus had not spread far, the BAI declared a quarantine zone within a 1-kilometer radius of Ground Zero where all chicken, ducks, quails, pigeons and fighting roosters were culled.
Another 7-kilometer radius has been declared as a Controlled Zone where no fowls, eggs or other products could be brought out.
An estimated 200,000 birds – chicken, ducks, quails, pigeons and fighting roosters – were culled and will be buried in the ground.
About 100 Quarantine Officers set up stations in all roads from San Luis backed up by officials of the provincial governmen, the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army.
All vehicles coming out of the area were sprayed with disinfectants to ensure the containment of the virus.
After all the birds in the San Luis area were culled, Quarantine Officers disinfected all the six farms where the outbreak occurred.
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Governors and Mayors of Provinces surrounding San Luis, Pampanga were asked to establish Quarantine Stations to regulate the entry of poultry and poultry products into their areas.
Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda declared a State of Calamity in the province and poultry farmers whose chicken were culled and eliminated were compensated in the amount of P80 per head.
In 45 days, the San Luis Bird Flu outbreak was contained and although there were other small incidents which followed that, those were immediately addressed using the same protocol.
The key to the quick resolution of that problem was the coordination between all agencies of government led by the DA and the support of the local government unit of Pampanga.
The containment of the San Luis Bird Flu Outbreak should serve as a template for future operations against animal disease outbreaks in the country.
Failure to learn from past experiences could lead to disaster.
#HistoryIsTheBestTeacher!
#DecisiveActionCoordination!
(Photos show policemen and soldiers who manned the quarantine posts in Pampanga, meetings with stakeholders and local officials and veterinary personnel in PPEs testing chicken for Bird Flu Virus.)
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