PH Customs on alert against entry of new swine flu strain

CUSTOMS Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero alerted all 17 customs ports against the possible entry into the country of pork products that may contain the new strain of swine flu virus.

Assistant Commissioner Philip Vincent Maronilla disclosed on Thursday that strict monitoring would be done on all reefer or refrigerated vans arriving in the country in close coordination with other concerned agencies of the government that include the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

“Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero has directed all customs port officials to be vigilant and examine carefully all reefer containers to ensure that dangerous pork and pork-related products will not be allowed entry into the Philippines,” Maronilla said.

“Food imports such as meat products undergo initial examination by the Department of Agriculture (DA),” he further said.

The BoC did not mention any specific country where tainted port meat products may come from.

The move will guarantee the safety of the consumers and prevent the entry of food that may contain diseases, Maronilla said.

He said that upon the arrival of the shipments, boarding formalities would be strictly conducted by the BoC and the quarantine officers of the BAI, BPI and BFAR, all adjunct agencies of the agriculture department.