Concepcion, Tarlac – This was the firm command of Mayor Andy Lacson to all heads of local government offices in ordering measures to quarantine this town from being infected with the avian flu now plaguing the neighboring province of Pampanga, specifically the town of San Luis.
“It is my duty to protect our people. I have to use all the powers of my office to save my town from becoming another San Luis. By all means, the birds flu must be prevented from infecting our own local poultry industry”, said Lacson.
The avian flu, which recently infected the fowl industry in San Luis, have forced the government to slaughter more than a 200,000 chicken to prevent the flu virus from spreading to other towns.
This town lies directly north of Pampanga and it is the main alternate route passage of goods to Region 1 (Pangasinan-Ilocos region) and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) of Baguio City from Pampanga and Metro Manila.
“I ordered to put up checkpoints in all the roads entering the town. The checkpoints are to be manned 24-7 to make sure not a single infected chicken enters our municipality,” Lacson said.
This town has 29 poultry business-compounds which raises more than 500,000 chicken heads at any given time of the year. It has also 2 large scale dressing plants.
The municipality also has a thriving duck and ballot industry with more than 60,000 duck heads which produce around 55,000 eggs and baluts delivered to many parts of Luzon daily.
On a separate interview, newly designated police Officer-In-Charge PSupt Mike Guzman, disclosed the mayor’s “marching orders.”
“Together with other local offices, Mayor (Lacson) ordered us to put up checkpoints in barangays San Nicolas Balas, Talimundoc Marimla, Sta. Monica, Santiago and Sta. Rita. We’ve been ordered to stop and send back to point of origin all vehicles carrying any fowl which are without duly approved shipment document.”
Municipal Agriculturist Valencia Cortez likewise confirmed the mayor’s “deep concern” on the spread of the birds’ flu and possibility of the flu virus affecting the local poultry industry.
“We we’re firmly commanded to man the 5 checkpoints 24 hours a day with the police, the Municipal Health Office and the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office. Our order is: No shipment document, no entry”.
The highly contagious birds’ flu is widely believed have been brought here by migratory birds from mainland China. A few years ago, it was reported that Chinese government slaughtered more than 10 million chicken to prevent the spread of the fowl virus.
Reports have it that in China and Hongkong, birds’ flu infects also the people who ate the affected chicken causing severe flu and even death. However, the Department of Agriculture claimed that the “San Luis-borne” virus does not infect humans.