The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said it would need at least P84 million to beef up biosecurity measures that would protect the P200-billion Philippine hog industry from the dreaded African swine fever (ASF).
BAI Focal Person for ASF Joy O. Lagayan told the BusinessMirror that about P42 million will be allotted to increase the “laboratory power” of the animal health and welfare division (AHWD).
The amount will be used for the procurement of test kits, conduct of seminars and workshops on ASF, as well as the dissemination of information and education communication (IEC) materials, Lagayan added.
The remaining amount would be used to strengthen the capacity of the BAI’s quarantine division, including the hiring of sniffing dogs to ferret out meat products in tourists’ luggage.
Lagayan said the BAI has also urged the national government to set aside P1 billion as indemnity fund in case local hog farms are struck by the ASF virus.
Sniffing dogs
Lagayan said the BAI could not immediately employ sniffing dogs from other agencies as the animals were not trained to identify meat products in containers.
She said the BAI will collaborate with the Philippine Coast Guard, which has committed to train at least 30 dogs for the task.
It would cost the government P12 million to train the 30 dogs at an estimated P400,000 per head.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol earlier said the government may tap sniffing dogs to boost the biosecurity measures implemented in airports and seaports. He said the dogs are cheaper than x-ray machines.
Piñol said the government will deploy a pair of dogs in every airport and port of entry nationwide.
Fines
Lagayan said the government is now determining the penalty
that would be slapped on tourists who will bring meat products, especially from
ASF-affected
countries, into the Philippines.
She said the government is initially looking at slapping a minimum fine of P50,000. The amount is in accordance with the provisions of the Food Safety Act of 2013.
Lagayan said, however, that the amount could increase as the decision on the matter rests with the agriculture secretary who will issue the administrative order.
She added that the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) legal team is now looking into the relevant laws that the agency could invoke in imposing the fine to further deter tourists from bringing in imported meat products.
Tourists who will voluntarily surrender meat products will not be penalized under the BAI’s proposal, according to Lagayan.
Lagayan disclosed that the BAI has reached an agreement with the Airlines Operators Council to issue in-flight warnings to tourists that imported meat products are banned in the Philippines and that they could be penalized for carrying such food items.
IEC, such as signage, would also be placed in key areas in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Countries that are no longer allowed to ship pork products to the Philippines include Vietnam, Mongolia, Belgium, China, Germany, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Moldova, South Africa, Zambia, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary and Japan.
The DA has also banned processed porcine animal proteins used in manufacturing animal feeds and pet food from countries struck by ASF to protect the local hog industry.
Image credits: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg