"The country is also bird-flu free, so our poultry could also be exported to other countries," Dr. Radislao said.

Dr. Radislao said the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian in Aklan is strictly implementing quarantine measures in major points of entry in the province like the airports, sea ports and jetty ports, inspecting poultry, meat and meat products entering the province to prevent FMD from coming to Aklan. They also require people bringing in livestock and poultry and other products to present documents for inspection.

"If they cannot present the needed papers, we either reship the products or condemn it by burning and burying," Dr. Radislao said.

The provincial veterinarian also said the Philippines is very lucky because at this point, it is still bird-flu free. Aklan is also implementing strict measures along this line, conducting spot inspections along the highway so poultry brought to Aklan from other provinces are properly checked and inspected.

"It will be a terrible scenario if bird flu reaches the Philippines, because the poultry industry will be wiped out, and people will also die," Dr. Radislao warned.

In his recent media briefing in Nueva Ecija, Sec. Yap said the Visayas and Mindanao have already been internationally accredited as FMD-free and the government is filing a claim for Luzon to be also declared free of the disease that afflicts carabaos and cattle.

To support the export of meat products, Yap said the government, in cooperation with the private sector, will invest in world-class slaughterhouses, refrigeration and processing facilities to make the country more competitive in the global market for livestock products.

The government is also encouraging investments in the poultry sector to increase the production of chicken and other poultry products.