Benguet bans chicken dung to avoid spread of avian flu, Covid

March 23, 2020 Provincial

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (March 20, 2020)— Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas has banned the entry of chicken dung in the province as a preventive measure against the avian flu and the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Diclas also calls on P/Col. Elmer Ragay, provincial director of Benguet Provincial Police Office (BPPO) to strictly impement the enhance community quarantine in all major roads coming in and out from the province.
Ragay said that they already started their police checkpoints as early as February following reports on the effect of the Corona Virus19 according to the reports from the Department of Health.
He said that a 24 /7 police checkpoints is now on effect some of their policemen and personnel are stationed in main roads with medical representatives to possibly check the temperature of the people or motorists.
Diclas on the other hand said that Executive Order 2020-018 dated March 17, a copy of which was furnished to the media on Wednesday, is “an order suspending the entry of chicken dung effective Tuesday until further notice due to the threat of the 2019 coronavirus disease and avian flu.”
The order cited Proclamation 922 pertaining to the local transmission of the Covid-19 and the government’s announcement of the laboratory results confirming that there is an outbreak of avian influenza H5N6, which can be transmitted to humans.
Chicken dung, a primary commodity in Benguet produces about 80 to 85 percent of different highland vegetables, is used as fertilizer in farms.
“All kinds of vehicles transporting chicken dung for use as fertilizer in various farms within the province are hereby suspended effective today until further notice,” the order said.
It also ordered chicken dung delivery truckers and farm owners to immediately stop transporting chicken dung from poultry farms in the lowlands to the municipalities.
“Kasama na sa quarantine ang chicken dung. Hindi na pwedeng pumasok ang chicken dung, pati na rin ang poultry products (Included in the quarantine is chicken dung. Chicken dung is not allowed to enter the province, including poultry products),” Diclas said.
Liza Agoot/PNA/ABN