WHEREAS, Foot and Mouth Disease eradication could be achieved through strengthening, intensifying and ensuring appropriate measures to control the disease;

WHEREAS, the OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) accreditation requires that swine and other FMD susceptible food animals from FMD free areas are not vaccinated, hence, said animals are highly susceptible to FMD infection;

WHEREAS, the slaughtering of swine and other FMD susceptible food animals into meat requires the availability of slaughterhouse facilities, such that the process shall require the efficiency of slaughtering procedure, hygiene and sanitation, as well as handling and storage of final products;

WHEREAS, the movement and slaughtering of swine and other FMD susceptible food animals require adequate facilities and set of operating procedures to ensure the control and to prevent subsequent spread of FMD;

NOW THEREFORE, I, LUIS P. LORENZO JR., Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to Section 1765 (a) and (b) of the revised Administrative Code of 1917, do hereby issue this Order;


SECTION 1. Farm to Slaughterhouse Movement

 

1.1	Food Animals for slaughter shall be moved out of farms directly to the slaughterhouse. To facilitate transport, the following documents shall be required and must be presented upon demand by government regulatory officers.
	1.1.1	Livestock Handlers License (LHL)
		The Livestock Handler ™s License issued by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) director and his duly assigned representative shall be presented before a livestock trader could apply for the required permits. If unlicensed, he shall be required to apply for the license at the BAI of the department of Agriculture regional Field Unit (DARFU).
	1.1.2	Veterinary Health Certificate (VHC)
		Any licensed veterinarian may issue the veterinary health certificate. The VHC is a document, (issued at the farm) that certifies the health status of an animal and its source. The original VHC shall accompany the animal in every stage of its transport form the farm to its final destination and must be presented upon, demand to proper authorities at anytime.
		The certificate must clearly contain for the following information:
		> name of the certifying veterinarian and his updated PRC License number
		> date and time of inspection
		> name of the farm and its owner
		> Official seal of the farm (if there is any)
		> Address of the farm
		> number of animals inspected
		> destination of animals
		> remarks as to the general health condition of animals/vaccination history
		> Purpose of transfer on movement (e.g. for slaughter; for fattening)
		The VHC is a requirement prior to obtaining the Shipping Permit.
	1.1.3	Issuance of Shipping Permits (SP)
		1.1.3.1	Only Veterinary Quarantine Officers deputized by the Secretary of the department of Agriculture are authorized to issue the shipping permit.
		1.1.3.2	Only slaughter animals with ready buyers (accompanied by proof of sale such as sales contract, deed of sale, invoice) shall sign an agreement complying to the regulations on movements of animals shall be transported and/or shipped out farms.
	1.1.4	PNP Clearance to Ship/Transport Large Animals (Cattle and Carabao)
		The required PNP clearance to ship/transport large animals shall also be secured.
1.2	Livestock traders and handlers shall transport FMD susceptible food animals only when there are ready buyers to ensure that animals are immediately slaughtered.
1.3	Veterinary Quarantine Officers shall ensure that livestock traders and handlers are fully aware of the regulations regarding movement of FMD susceptible food animals particularly on the requirement of slaughter within twenty-four (24) hours from arrival in slaughterhouses.
1.4	The keeping of FMD susceptible food animals in the stockyards shall only be allowed with the establishment of facilities for the purpose as duly authorized by the BAI director. Only FMD susceptible food animals from FMD- Free Areas shall be allowed in the stockyard.
1.5	For animals shipped from FMD-Free areas, the following procedure shall be fol- lowed:
	1.5.1	Upon arrival of the animals at the port or at the stockyard, the Quarantine Officers assigned thereat shall perform the regular and routine inspection of animals including the checking of documents, after which he shall then issue the Quarantine Inspection Clearance (QIC) clearly indicating the destined slaughterhouse and the date and time arrival.
	1.5.2	Cattle intended for fattening or breeding shall be moved out of the ports within 24 hours and vaccinated during the quarantine period at the farm of the destination;
	1.5.3	Arriving animals at the ports without shipping permit are illegal and shall be confiscated or shall be slaughtered immediately at the expense of the owner with revocation of the livestock handler ™s license with appropriate sanctions;
	1.5.4	Shipping companies should only allow livestock shipment with proper documents;
	1.5.5	Shipping companies that allow shipment of animals without documents shall be penalized.

SECTION 2. Acceptance of Swine and other FMD susceptible Animals in Slaughterhouses

 

2.1.1	The licensed livestock trader shall present the animals and surrender accompanying documents (VHC, SP and QIC) to the slaughterhouse management. The slaughterhouse personnel designated to accept the animals shall turn over all documents to the inspector prior to the start of slaughter;
2.1.2	The slaughterhouse management shall keep accurate records of date and time of arrival of each shipment;
2.1.3	Upon arrival of the animals, the livestock or meat inspectors shall conduct antemortem inspection and again immediately prior to slaughter;
2.1.4	Only animals free from FMD with corresponding documentation shall be accepted for slaughter. Animals found infected with FMD although with corresponding documentation shall be refused for slaughter and shall be confiscated and condemned by slaughtering and burying in a deep pit.

SECTION 3. Immediate slaughter of swine and other FMD susceptible Food Animals

 

3.1	Upon arrival from point of origin, all animals shall be brought directly to the slaughterhouse duly accredited by the NMIC (Executive Director), or stockyard duly authorized by BAI. Animals brought to the slaughterhouse shall be slaughtered within twenty-four (24) hours.
	Animals intended for, other than immediate slaughter shall be brought to the stockyard duly authorized by BAI. This shall take effect upon the construction and operation of a government regulated stockyard, cold storage, and other related facilities in Metro Manila.
3.2	In the event that the animals will remain unslaughtered beyond the prescribed 24 hours upon arrival, the inspector assigned thereat shall have the authority to have the said animals slaughtered and the carcass thereof shall be stored in a cold storage at the expense of the owner.

SECTION 4. Control of Operations of Authorized Facilities

4.1     Slaughterhouse Operation
 

4.1.1 Government regulatory Officers shall closely monitor accredited facilities as to their compliance to the operational requirements under this order and AO No. 32;         4.1.2 Schedule of operations shall be as follows:             Arrival/Acceptance of Animals 12:00 nn - 6:00 pm     Slaughter time: 9:00 pm - 5:00 am     Cleaning and disinfection: 6:00 am - 12:00 nn         4.1.3 Good manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure Programs (SSOP) shall be strictly adopted in the operation of the facility;         4.1.4 The management shall also turn over all required documents to the government regulatory officer for proper monitoring and safekeeping.

4.2     Stockyard Operation

 

4.2.1	Stockyard Operators shall ensure that biosecurity measures are implemented and that a cleaning and disinfections program is place for the said premises.
4.2.2	Only apparently, healthy animals shall be accepted in the stockyards and must be accompanied by proper shipping documents such as Veterinary Health Certificate and Shipping Permit.
4.2.3	Livestock vehicles shall be proper cleaned and disinfected after unloading of animals. Wheelbaths shall be strategically placed in the said premises.
4.2.4	Government regulatory officers shall regularly monitor the stockyards. Presence of FMD infected animals in the stockyards requires for outright condemnation of the affected animals and immediate slaughter of exposed animals. exposed animals shall be brought to the slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter.
4.2.5	The regulatory officers shall submit to the proper authorities, FMD Investigation Report and Condemnation Report within 24 hours of the incidence. Reports must be accompanied with appropriate laboratory samples.
4.2.6	Movement of animals is prohibited if the stockyard was affected by FMD. The said premises will be temporary closed to institute cleaning and disinfection and will only be operational upon approval of the proper authorities.

SECTION 5. Reporting

All officers shall be held accountable in the preparation and submission of relevant periodic reports (monthly) to the BAI director attention to the NFMDTF. (See annex for format)

1. Livestock handlers licensed (Chief-marketing division)
   
2. Shipping permits issued (deputized Veterinary Quarantine Officers at origin)
   
3. Quarantine inspection clearance issued (deputized Veterinary Quarantine Officers at destination)
   
4. meat Inspection/slaughter certificate issued (meat Inspector)

SECTION 6. Penalty

6.1    Any person who shall violate any provision of Section 1765 of the revised Administrative Code of 1917 shall be punished by a fine of not more that one thousand pesos (Php1,000); or by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, (or by both) at the discretion of the court.

6.2    Any person who shall violate any provision of this Order, for which delinquency, no specific penalty is provided by law, shall be punishable by an administrative fine not less than one thousand pesos (Php1,000).

6.3    For livestock trader found to be in violation of any provision of this Order, the Live- stock Handler ™s License shall be revoked pursuant to Section 8 of AO No. 3).

6.4    The Certificate of Accreditation issued by the NMIC (executive director) to accredited slaughterhouse operators shall be revoked if they are found to be in violation of any section of this Order and AO No. 32.

6.5   Administrative charges of dereliction of duty and insubordination shall be filed against government officers as provided by the Civil Service Code who fail to implement the provisions of this order.

6.6   The appropriate rules and regulations of MARINA shall cover shipping lines violating the provisions of this order.

SECTION 7. Non-liability Clause

7.1 The Secretary of the department of Agriculture or his duly authorized representative shall not be held liable for damages to animals in the course of the implementation of the provision of this Order.     7.2 Any person, firm, shipper or livestock handler found liable for violating any provisions of this Order shall shoulder the cost incurred for demurrage, cartage, labor incidences to inspection, cost of disinfection and disposition or condemnation.

SECTION 8. Effectivity

This order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication of the same in a newspaper of general circulation or the Official Gazette, and its filing with the UP Law Center.

(SGD,) LUIS P. LORENZO JR.
Secretary

Recommending Approval:

(SGD.) JOSE Q. MOLINA, DVM, MVS
Director, Bureau of Animal Industry

(SGD.) EFREN C. NUESTRO, DVM, MPM, CESO III
Executive Director
National Meat Inspection Commission

(SGD.) TEODULO M. TOPACIO, DVM, PHD
Chairman, NAC-ADCE