RP to send technical team to Indonesia to help in anti-bird flu fight

The Philippines will send a three-man technical team to Indonesia to provide assistance in Jakarta’s campaign against bird flu and to strengthen cooperation among neighboring countries to prevent the spread of the avian influenza virus.

Agriculture Undersecretary Salvador Salacup said the team may leave on Dec. 6 for Indonesia to share the Philippines’ plan of action to control the spread of bird flu.

The Department of Health said agriculture officials are working out the terms of reference with their Indonesian counterparts.

President Arroyo said recently that Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is already waiting for the Philippines’ technical team.

"The joke during the APEC is that Indonesia and the Philippines have the same birds and the same terrorists moving from one country to another," Mrs. Arroyo said, referring to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit she and Yudhoyono attended in Busan, South Korea last month.

Mrs. Arroyo said Filipinos should thank God that the Philippines remains bird flu-free despite outbreaks in nearby countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and China.

The President said one of the measures to combat bird flu that is unique to the Philippines is the use of footbaths at airports and other points of entry into the country. She said disinfectants prevent the entry of the virus borne on travelers’ shoes.

"Those who come from (countries) with infestation carry the virus with them sometimes through their shoes when they step on droppings of chicken or ducks," Salacup said.

He added that "there should be quarantine areas at the airports and seaports as well as footbaths, sprayers and disinfectants."

The President earlier directed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to allot an additional P2.5 billion for the Department of Agriculture’s avian influenza prevention campaign.

She said the amount will be taken from the P40 billion in savings on debt servicing through the DBM’s preparation of a supplemental budget to fund the program.

Salacup said the P2.5 billion will be used to fund the first two stages of the anti-bird flu campaign. The first stage deals with preventing the deadly H5N1 strain from entering the country, while the second stage focuses on preventing the spread of the disease among birds and humans should the virus reach the country.

"We will devote P1.5 billion for stage one. This will include funding for active monitoring and surveillance (of suspected carriers of avian influenza), laboratory testing, mobility of provincial technicians, vaccines, protective equipment, quarantine procedures and an information campaign" on the disease, he said.

Salacup said the remaining P1 billion will be for stage two, "which is the containment side and rapid action" in case the virus spreads to the Philippines.