Local egg producers want table eggs banned, too
E.O. NO. 00016 AMENDMENT SOUGHT
THE Tarlac Pangasinan La Union Egg Producers Association (TPLEPA) wants Gov. Ramon Guico III to include table eggs in the temporary total ban under the executive order he issued on March 2, 2023 to protect the local poultry industry against avian influenza virus.
In its May 26, 2023 letter dated addressed through Vice Gov. Mark Lambino, the TPLEPA, a group of layer chicken farm owners in the three provinces but majority of its members are from Pangasinan, said they wrote the letter to help resolve issues and concerns currently affecting the egg layer chicken industry.
It cited the governor’s EO No. 00016, issued last March 2, 2023, extending a temporary total ban on the entry of all ducks, quails, spent hens (culled), hatching eggs, pigeons, game fowls, ready to lay pullets and the restrictions on the movement of other poultry birds and by products from the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, Sultan Kudarat, Benguet, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Isabela, Quezon, Kalinga, Aurora, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Capiz and Batangas into the province of Pangasinan.
It also cited the Bureau of Animal Industry’s confirmation of the first detection of Avian Influenza Type A Subtype H5N1 in duck farms in the municipalities of Baliwag in Bulacan and Candaba in Pampanga and in quail farms in the municipalities of Candaba and Mexico, also in Pampanga.
Avian Influenza Type A Subtype H5N1 was also confirmed to be the cause of death of millions of layer chickens in Minalin, Pampanga, it added.
“With these reports, we believe that in order to protect the province from the bird flu virus, there is a need to include “table eggs” in the temporary total ban,” the letter stated.
It argued that infected birds will lay infected eggs, and with the current influx of eggs in the province, “we are now more exposed to the threat”. It added that eggs are coming from everywhere even from areas affected by the bird flu.
They also attached a copy of a recently amended provincial ordinance from the province of La Union, hoping Pangasinan will follow suit and amend and include eggs among the items to be banned even as they warned that “ready to lay chickens and culled chickens are still entering our province even if a temporary total ban is in effect”.
They believe that increasing penalties, stricter guidelines, and full implementation of the executive order will help.
The letter was signed by Rex Meneses and Dr. Benedicto Perez, president and information officer respectively of TPLEPA. (Eva Visperas)
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