Sabungeros, read this and weep

Bad news for cockfight aficionados or sabungeros: the government is keeping a tight watch on game fowl imported for international derbies here to prevent the entry of the highly pathogenic avian influenza or bird flu on Philippine shores.

In a recent meeting of the departments of health, agriculture and environment and natural resources with the Games and Amusement Board (GAB), it was agreed that stricter import rules for game fowl will be implemented.

GAB chairman Eric Buhain said his office will shortly issue board resolutions in consonance with guidelines of the National Anti-Influenza Task Force which seek to impose more rigid import rules on the Game Fowls Commission, to ensure all possible loopholes are plugged and block the shipment of what could be infected fowl.

"We’re confident that the industry stakeholders will understand because they have already released billions for their love of cockfights. About P50 billion of personal investments are affected here and we want to maintain the Philippines’ status in the international derby industry," Buhain said.

Buhain noted that aside from the poultry industry, the game fowl industry also stands to be affected if bird flu penetrates the country’s porous borders.

"Our inclusion in the National Avian Influenza Task Force together with the DA, DENR, and the DOH is a way of ensuring that the country stays bird flu-free with cooperation from the game fowl industry," he said.

Among the steps GAB will be taking would be to be more stringent in issuing import permits to ensure that game fowl from bird flu- affected countries or fowl that pass through infected countries in transit will not be able to enter the country.

The Philippines, one of the top locations for international derbies worldwide, hosts an international derby at least four times a year.

"There are about 2,000 cockpits nationwide and the earnings of local government units plus the earnings of farm and cockpit personnel will be affected if the country is infected with the bird flu," Buhain said.

An international derby will be held on Nov. 29 at the Cavite Coliseum where about 12 game fowl are imported out of about 150 entries.

Buhain stressed that the imported fighting cocks were all cleared before import permits were issued and the 12 imported fowl will have limited movement while in the Philippines.

Recently, the National Avian Influenza Task Force led by Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban, also tapped the services of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to provide additional logistical support to the task force in conducting, among other tasks, surveillance of wetlands where migratory birds go to this time of the year until March of next year.

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) have already started the monitoring of bird wetlands.

The bird flu is already being treated as a pandemic and governments are collaborating to prevent and subsequently eliminate the virus that has ravaged billion-dollar poultry farms in various parts of the world, and killed hundreds of humans.

To date, only Myanmar, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines have remained bird flu-free in the region.