GMA orders intensified bird flu campaign

Despite threats of a bird flu outbreak, a congressman from the Bicol Region revealed yesterday that Jollibee Foods Corp. wants to import more chicken for the Christmas season.

Catanduanes Rep. Joseph Santiago said Jollibee had sought the assistance of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) "in building up its chicken inventory."

He called on the government agency to determine if there is any need for the country to import chicken to ensure adequate supply and stable prices of basic necessities this Christmas.

"The DTI has to do its homework and determine whether there is a need for us to import chicken in anticipation of increased demand," Santiago, a member of the opposition Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) said.

Santiago added that the government should not allow a repeat of the December 2003 chicken shortage that led to soaring prices "at the expense of the (Filipino) consumers."

The lawmaker recalled that the DTI and the agriculture department at the time failed to anticipate the massive supply shortfall, thus causing chicken prices to go as high as P150 per kilo.

Chicken is classified as a "basic necessity" under Republic Act 7581 or The Price Act.

"The agencies concerned are duty-bound to see to it that there is sufficient supply of the produce at steady prices," Santiago said.

The Catanduanes congressman also said that chicken is likewise "protected against illegal price manipulation, undue price increases, hoarding, profiteering and cartelization."

Under the law, Santiago said the government "may procure, import or stockpile any basic necessity and devise ways of distributing them for sale at reasonable prices in areas where there is a supply shortage, or a need to effect changes in the prevailing prices."

"The country produced P15.27 billion worth of chicken from January to June this year, up 4.21 percent from the P14.67 billion produced in the same period last year," Santiago said in a statement.

The production growth was due to a corresponding 4.21-percent volume output increase in the first semester of this year, or from 538,030 metric tons last year to 560,680 metric tons in the same period this year.

Upping the ante

President Arroyo upped the alert on bird flu awareness yesterday by calling for an intensified information campaign to prevent an epidemic should the virus cross into the Philippines.

The Department of Health (DOH) warned that it would be "just a matter of time" before the avian influenza virus reaches the country as neighboring countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, China and Cambodia have already confirmed cases of bird flu.

"Since this epidemic is spreading across the region and now even into Central Asia, I have instructed the Secretaries of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to intensify the communication campaign against bird flu," the President said in a speech at the Eco-Minds Pacific Forum in Makati City.

The DENR and the DA were tasked to come up with a map of threatened areas where migratory birds are present such as Olango island in Cebu, the Candaba swamps in Pampanga, Liguasan Marsh in Mindanao and at least 20 other sites.

The agencies were also tasked to draft a list of "do’s and don’ts" when in contact with infected birds or poultry, a list of avian flu symptoms and steps to take when infection is suspected. The President also ordered communication materials, plugs and advertisements to disseminate the information to the public.

The President said she was happy that the Philippines had so far been spared from the virus, but added the government must be ready. China was struck by another outbreak Tuesday and the fourth victim died from the virus in Indonesia.

The Philippines has so far been spared partly because it is an archipelago with no land borders with neighboring countries but there are fears that the virus could spread through migratory birds flying from infected areas.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III warned the public against handling wild birds and to take steps to ensure that the virus does not spread to domesticated fowl such as chicken and ducks.

Because of the presence of around 20 bird sanctuaries across the Philippines, Duque stressed that the threat of migratory birds bringing in the virus is "real."

Dr. Luningning Villa, DOH’s program manager for emerging diseases, said they have set aside about P160 million in preparation for an outbreak of the disease. About P40 million was also allocated for an information campaign and the purchase of gloves and protective equipment for agricultural personnel who may have to handle infected birds.

A multi-agency avian flu task force has been created to cordon off ducks, geese and chicken from the areas frequented by wild birds.

Five hospitals have been designated as referral centers for people suspected of being infected with bird flu, Duque added. There have been cases of bird-to-human infection of the virus, but so far, no human-to-human cases have been reported.

With the onset of the cold season, the DOH urged the public yesterday to observe "cough ethics" to help them ward off illnesses, including avian influenza.

Meanwhile, Sen. Manuel Roxas II, chair of the Senate committee on trade and commerce and author of Senate Bill 2139, which seeks to amend the country’s patent law on medicines, urged concerned government agencies yesterday to include in its preparations the possibility of producing the anti-flu drug, Tamiflu, locally.

Tamiflu is exclusively manufactured by Swiss company Roche and costs between P1,400 and P1,750 for a pack of 10 capsules.

The DOH announced, though, that the government is expecting a shipment of P8.5-million worth of anti-flu medicines in January and another P1.7 million is coming through the World Health Organization. — With Aurea Calica, Katherine Adraneda, Sheila Crisostomo, Rocel Felix