November 17, 2005

Philippine agriculture department seeks bigger budget to fight bird flu
 

The Philippine Department of Agriculture said Thursday it was seeking a budget increase of 2.5 billion pesos for 2006, to implement measures that would help prevent the entry of the deadly H5N1 variant of bird flu.

"Because of increasing outbreaks in China, Thailand and Vietnam, this (budget increase) is critical in doubling our efforts against avian flu," Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban told reporters.

The department currently has a budget of 85 million pesos for safeguarding against the entry of H5N1, he said.

The departments of health, national defense and environment, all members of the country's Avian Flu Task Force, may have made separate requests for budget increases related to bird flu, Panganiban said.

He said the request for the budget increase would be taken up during a budget hearing to be conducted Friday by Congress. The department has proposed an overall budget of 15.8 billion pesos for 2006.

Preventive measures being implemented by the department against bird flu included monitoring, regular testing at poultry farms, vaccination, footbaths and fumigation.

The Philippines is one of the few Southeast Asian countries that has managed to remain free of H5N1 bird flu, which has killed more than 60 people in four Asian nations since late 2003.