BAI confiscates meat products from NAIA passengers

BAI confiscates meat products from NAIA passengers
Bureau of Animal Industry warns passengers bot to bring meat products from abroad as they will be confiscated in Philippine airports. (Image from BusinessMirror)

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) confiscated about 32.25 kilos of various meat products from international passengers who arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Wednesday.

According to BAI-NAIA chief Reynaldo Quilang, they continue to confiscate meat products from other countries that passengers were carrying. Authorities tightened their inspection to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) virus in the country.

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“Bagama’t kumpirmadong positibo ang nasabing sakit ng mga baboy sa ibang parte ng Luzon, ay ipapatupad pa rin ang paghihigpit sa pagpasok ng mga meat products at canned meat sa apat na passenger terminal ng NAIA.” said Quilang.

(Though the said disease was already confirmed in the different parts of Luzon, we continue to implement strict meat products and canned meat entry in the four passenger terminals ng NAIA.)

Among the BAI staff confiscated were duck meat, pork, beef, chicken feet, pork sausage, and other poultry products.

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Quilang added that the said meat were from Jinjiang, Xiamen and Pudong, China; Incheon, South Korea.

African Swine Fever (ASF) already in PH

On Monday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed that 14 of the 20 pig’s blood they sent to the United Kingdom came back to be African Swine Fever (ASF) positive.

Authorities slaughtered around 7,400 pigs in Rizal and nearby province Bulacan last week due to ASF.

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Agriculture Secretary William Dar said that hog raisers and breeders should cooperate to eliminate the virus in the country entirely.

The government gives P3,000 cash assistance to those who got their pig slaughtered due to African Swine Fever. They will also provide piglets once the ASF is gone.