WHEREAS, the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the occurrence of avian flu in the State of Pennsylvania, USA, starting December 2001;

WHEREAS, type H7N2 virus was identified as causing low pathogenic type of the avian influenza outbreak in the said US state;

WHEREAS, as indicated in the OIE Manual, H7N2 virus could develop to highly pathogenic avian influenza;

WHEREAS, the Ministry of Agriculture of Japan imposed a ban on poultry and poultry products including eggs from USA;

WHEREAS, the Entry - Exit Inspection Quarantine of Peoples' Republic of China imposed a ban on poultry meat from a slaughter plant in Atlanta, Georgia USA due to bacterial contamination with E. coli;

WHEREAS, the poultry and poultry products from the USA already in the export pipeline to Japan and China may be transshipped to the Philippines;

WHEREAS, there is a need to prevent the entry of pathogenic virus causing avian flu to protect the health of the local poultry population;

WHEREAS, there is a need to prevent the entry of contaminated poultry meat to protect the health of the local human population;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, LEONARDO Q. MONTEMAYOR, Secretary of Agriculture, by the powers vested in me by law, do hereby institute the following emergency measures:

1. Banning the transshipment from Japan and China of domestic and wild birds and their products, including day-old chicks, eggs and semen originating from the United States of America;

2. Immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation and issuance of Veterinary Quarantine Clearance/International Veterinary Certificate Import Permit for applications relevant to the transshipment of the above-stated commodities from Japan and China which originated from the USA by the Bureau of Animal Industry;

3. Stoppage and confiscation of all transshipment into the country of suspected/affected products from Japan and China which originated from USA by all DA veterinary Quarantine Officers/Inspectors at all major sea/air ports.

This ORDER shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 30 January 2002