AIRPORT quarantine officials belatedly installed anti-swine flu footbaths at the arrival area after Agriculture Secretary Manuel Pinol ordered the entire compliment relieved for not following protocol to prevent the virus’ entry into the country.
Pinol’s announcement was aired on a radio station, accusing the airport’s animal quarantine personnel of defying his directives to implement the quarantine procedures following an outbreak of African swine fever.
The new outbreak of swine fever was reported in China last Wednesday on a farm with 73,000 pigs in Heilongjiang province, as the highly contagious disease continues its spread through the world’s largest hog herd.
The outbreak in Suihua city in the northeastern province infected 4,686 pigs and killed 3,766 animals, the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said in a statement on its website.
“China has reported more than 90 cases of the incurable disease since it was first detected in the country in August last year.”
The concerned Quarantine officials said they were taken aback by Pinol’s directives.
“We were shocked about his announcement,” a BAQ personnel, who declined to be identified, said on hearing the DA chief’s decision.
The BAQ personnel said they were only relying on the information provided by the Bureau of Customs (BoC), who are allowed to inspect arriving luggage.
“If there is an interception of meat or other meat products, whether at Naia arrival areas or in the warehouses, the Customs personnel would immediately inform us of the seizure and turn over the meat products to the animal quarantine.”
The African Swine Fever is a highly-contagious disease that has already wreaked havoc among swine farmers in many countries, according to reports.
The disease is difficult to detect unless in its advanced stage as there is usually no sign of any malady among infected pigs.
Airport District Collector Carmelita Talusan, said so far, there have been no pork products brought in by passengers, “or they would be detected by Customs personnel.”
She said that the animal quarantine people have always been informed by her staff if there are meat interceptions at the arrival area or in warehouses.
“I will issue the order today even as I am here in the Bicol Region personally assessing the damage of Tropical Depression Usman and ensuring immediately delivery of interventions,” Pinol said on radio.
“The relief of the whole Quarantine Team at the Naia should send a clear message to members of the Department of Agriculture (DA) family that we cannot take Administrative Directives for granted.”
“Today, I will also an order directing the DA Internal Administrative Service (IAS) to conduct an investigation and establish whether the officers could be charged with dereliction of duty,” he added.
The threat of the African swine flu was monitored as early as last year and the Philippines has set in motion a plan of action to prevent its entry into the country.
Pinol said before the holidays, “I ordered Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Acting Director Ronnie Domingo to ensure that footbaths and other quarantine measures are established in all entry points of the country.”
So far, reports said the dreaded ASF, a disease killing pigs in at least eight countries, was reported spreading in China.
Pinol said that on Thursday, he read a media report quoting agriculture advocate Rosendo So as saying that he saw no such Quarantine Procedures at the country’s main airport.
“Upon reading the report, I immediately called up Dr. Domingo and confronted him about it,” he said. Domingo admitted that the Naia Quarantine Group failed to install the Footbath facility “because of procurement issues,” but said it was the only station which failed to implement the directives.
Pinol said he will never accept Dr. Domingo’s alibi, “as I have always believed in the Pilipino saying: “Kung gusto, maraming paraan; Kung ayaw, maraming dahilan. [If one so desires to do something, there are many ways; if not, there are many excuses].”
Image credits: CNN Philippines