KIDAPAWAN CITY – The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian in Cotabato province has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of avian influenza or bird flu following a reported outbreak in the town of M’lang two weeks ago.

Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPVet) officer-in-charge Dr. Rosmarie Guzman said that they are intensifying surveillance and testing in different towns of the province.

Guzman said they are beefing up measures even as results from the towns of Kabacan, M'lang, Matalam, and President Roxas are negative.

They are expanding surveillance and testing on chickens, ducks, and other live poultry in other towns.

Following the reported outbreak in Barangay Bagong Tapay and Buayan, the local government and OPVet have conducted aggressive surveillance within a one- to seven-kilometer radius.

On Oct. 21, the provincial government of Cotabato confirmed cases of bird flu in barangays Bagong Tapay and Buayan.

M’lang local government veterinarian Charles Boliver said a flock of grazing ducks tested positive for bird flu. Boliver said almost 1,000 grazing ducks were depopulated as a preventive measure.

He confirmed that a separate flock of grazing ducks tested positive for bird flu. However, when the results came out, they have returned to their place of origin in President Roxas town, some 80 kilometers away from M’lang.

Guzman said they were able to trace the owner of the grazing ducks but the flock was already sold to a farmer based in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao del Norte province. Datu Odin Sinsuat is about 150 kilometers away from President Roxas.

Unfortunately, the owner was not able to get the exact name of the buyer as well as the license plates of the vehicle used in transporting the grazing ducks, Guzman said.

“But we have already coordinated with the provincial veterinarian’s office in Maguindanao del Norte to trace the buyer,” she added.

In a press statement, the Bureau of Animal Industry said that the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office-12 has coordinated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MAFAR–BARMM) to initiate monitoring, surveillance, and biosecurity actions within the affected area.

As part of the measure, Guzman said they are conducting surveillance activities in the towns of Midsayap, Pigcawayan, and Pikit as they are close to Datu Odin Sinsuat.

Following the outbreak in M'lang, several towns in Cotabato banned the movement of poultry products as part of the measure against the spread of bird flu.

The ban also covers wild (ornamental) birds, day-old chicks, semen, eggs, and other poultry products.

In M’lang, poultry growers are wary of the bird flu as the town was placed under the red category, said Boliver. “We are exerting all our efforts to clear us from the red category because our poultry industry is affected. The farmers cannot sell the poultry products, especially the eggs, outside of the municipality,” he said.

Boliver added that the local government is regularly conducting surveillance, particularly during post-harvest season amid the influx of duck grazing activities.

Regular surveillance against avian influenza is conducted every six months, said Guzman.

The provincial government of Cotabato cautioned the public, particularly farmers, on the resurgence of bird flu. They urged the public to cooperate to prevent the spread of the deadly avian disease.

Duck grazing is a common practice in rice-growing areas as the rice-duck farming system is considered as an innovative agricultural practice that combines rice cultivation with duck farming.

It is said to help enhance the productivity and sustainability in rice farming as a natural pest control and weed control method during land preparation stages.