Whereas, the current outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, a major dangerous communicable animal disease, has reached alarming proportions among provinces within Regions No. I, II, III, IV, Administrative Region (CAR);

Whereas, there is an urgent need to control the spread of the disease in order to bring about a disease-free Philippines.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROBERTO S. SEBASTIAN, Secretary of Agriculture, pursuant to Section 1764 of the Revised Administrative Code do hereby declare that Foot-and Mouth Disease, a dangerous communicable animal disease prevails among the provinces within Regions No. I, II, III, IV, the National Capital (NCR) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and that there is danger of spreading such disease by shipping, driving or otherwise, transporting or taking out such regional areas any FMD susceptible animals namely live pigs, cattle, goats and sheep as well as fresh frozen cuts of pork and beef sourced locally; processed foods sourced from non-accredited manufacturers, chicken dung and FMD vaccines.

It shall be unlawful for any person farm or cooperation to ship, drive or otherwise remove the kind of animals and products so specified above from and within province to province of such regional areas except when accompanied by a certificate issued by authority of the Director of Animal Industry or by Veterinary Quarantine Officers (VQO's) in the different Regional Field Offices of the Department of Agriculture, stating the number and kind of animals/products/items authorized to be shipped-driven, taken, or transported, and their brands and distinguishing marks. Such certificate shall also state that the animals/products/items in question have been inspected by a duly authorized agent of the Director Animal Industry or by VQO's and found free from dangerous communicable animals diseases and shall give the date of such inspection.

Shipment of FMD susceptible animals and fresh frozen cuts of pork and beef, processed foods sourced from, non-accredited manufacturers, chicken dung and FMD vaccines is prohibited from NCR, CAR and Regions I, II, III, and IV (except Palawan and Batanes) to Region V, the islands of Visayas and Mindanao until such time that the epidemic has been effectively controlled. Likewise shipment to internationally recognized FMD free zones such as Batanes, Palawan, Regions IX, and X is prohibited unless animals/items being shipped are also sourced from these areas.

Violation of said order by any officer of livestock trader shall be liable to prosecution and upon conviction shall suffer the penalty provided in the second paragraph of Section 2747 of the revised Administrative Code which is fine of not more than one thousand pesos (P1,000.00) or imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both in the discretion of the Court.

Furthermore, the violations thereof shall mean revocation of the trader's handler's license and non-renewal of the same. Any provisions or portions of any order or rules and regulations in conflict with the provisions hereof are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

This Order shall take effect immediately after publication in a newspaper of general circulation and filing 3 copies thereof with the UP Law Center.

Adopted: 28 Jan. 1995

(SGD.) ROBERTO S. SEBASTIAN
Secretary