Directing All Government Agencies and LGUs to Strictly Implement and Comply with the "National Zoning and Movement Plan for African Swine Fever"

February 5, 2020

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 22

DIRECTING ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS TO STRICTLY IMPLEMENT AND COMPLY WITH THE "NATIONAL ZONING AND MOVEMENT PLAN FOR AFRICAN SWINE FEVER" UNDER DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 12 (S. 2019)

WHEREAS,the African Swine Fever (ASF),despite having no known effect to humans, is a severe and highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs, with a case-fatality rate approaching 100%,caused by a resistant virus with no developed cure to date;

WHEREAS,the ASF is estimated to have affected more than 20 million pigs in Asia since 2018 and has caused serious economic and production losses in affected countries;

WHEREAS,the Department of Agriculture (DA) has confirmed the occurrence of the virus in several areas in the Philippines;

WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 9296 or the "Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines," declares it a policy of the State to prevent the entry of disease-carrying animals into meat establishments and ensure the safety and quality of imported meat and meat products;

WHEREAS, under RA No. 10611 or the "Food Safety Act of 2013," the State aims to protect the public from food-borne and water-borne illnesses, and unsanitary, unwholesome, misbranded or adulterated foods;

WHEREAS, Section 15 of RA No. 10611 states that the DA shall be responsible for food safety in the primary production and post-harvest stages of food supply chain and foods, whether locally produced or imported;

WHEREAS,the DA, in its effort to manage, contain and control the ASF virus, has issued DA Administrative Circular No. 12 (s. 2019) on the "National Zoning and Movement Plan for the Prevention and Control of ASF," and has classified the country into various zones with respective movement protocols;

WHEREAS, RA No. 3639 declares the following acts as unlawful: (i) knowingly transporting domestic animals suffering from any dangerous communicable disease from one province or municipality to another; (ii) removing any class of animals from infected localities when there is a declaration that a dangerous communicable disease prevails therein, and when there is a danger of spreading such disease by transporting such class of animals outside the said locality; (iii) willfully importing animals, animal effects, parts or products from another country where a dangerous communicable animal disease prevails; and (iv) violating lawful regulations or orders relating to the quarantine of animals;

WHEREAS, pursuant to RA No. 9296, the local government units, shall regulate, among others, meat inspection, meat transport and post-abattoir control, in accordance with the national policies, procedures, guidelines, rules and regulations and quality and safety standards as promulgated by the DA Secretary;

WHEREAS,there is an urgent need to ensure consistent implementation and compliance with DA Administrative Circular No. 12 to more effectively control the ASF virus toward its complete eradication;

WHEREAS, Section 4, Article X of the 1987 Constitution states that the President shall exercise general supervision over local governments; and

WHEREAS, under Section 17, Article VII of the 1987 Constitution, the President shall have control of all the executive departments, bureaus and offices and shall ensure that the laws be faithfully executed;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, and upon the joint endorsement of the DA, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), do hereby order and direct all concerned government agencies, offices and instrumentalities, as well as local government units, to strictly implement and ensure compliance with the "National Zoning and Movement Plan for the Prevention and Control of ASF," as contained under DA Administrative Circular No. 12 (s. 2019).

The DA, DTI and DILG are hereby directed to monitor compliance with this Order and ensure its strict observance by all concerned government agencies, offices, instrumentalities, as well as local government units.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 5th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twenty.

 

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 116, No. 8, p. 1175 on February 24, 2020.