January 5, 2007

Philippines to seek OIE certification for Luzon as FMD-free

The Philippines will seek certification from the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or the World Animal Health Organisation to declare Luzon as free from the dreaded foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and enhance the status of the country as a supplier of disease-free meat.

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) director Dr Davinio Catbagan told the Business Mirror daily that the application will be filed in May this year for the certification to be given before 2007 ends or on the following year.

BAI, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), clarified that only Luzon has not been certified by the OIE as FMD-free.

Catbagan said once the certification has been issued, hog raisers can finally seize more opportunities in the international market.

The OIE certifies that an area or country may be declared as FMD-free if it has no FMD outbreak, no evidence of FMD virus infection and no vaccination against FMD during the past 12 months of which there is a record of regular and prompt reporting. The DA has earlier declared the Philippines free of the dreaded FMD that strikes hogs, raising hopes among those in the livestock sector that they would finally export pork products.

The FMD scare reached its peak in the 1990s which incurred huge losses and closure of many local hog farms.