The Department of Agriculture (DA) has suspended imports of live animals and selected animal products from seven economies in the Middle East and Europe following confirmed outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Signed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. under Department Circular No. 39, the emergency ban aims to protect the domestic livestock industry from the highly contagious viral disease.

The restriction covers shipments originating from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, and Palestine. The Philippines imports virtually no live animals or fresh meat directly from these seven economies, sourcing the bulk of its supply from Brazil, the United States (US), and Spain.

Under the order, the government has banned the entry of live swine, cattle, water buffaloes, and other susceptible species. The suspension also extends to fresh skeletal muscle meat, animal casings, tallow, hooves, horns, and bovine semen.

The measure follows an official notification from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) confirming localized outbreaks of the FMD virus serotype SAT1. The findings were validated through laboratory testing coordinated by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) reference network.

To enforce the ban at the border, veterinary quarantine officers at all Philippine ports of entry have been ordered to immediately intercept and confiscate non-compliant shipments.

The DA clarified that commodities classified as safe under international veterinary standards will still be permitted, provided importers present valid sanitary certifications. Allowed goods include ultra-high-temperature (UHT) processed milk, dairy products, heat-treated canned meat, protein meal, gelatin, and specific processed hides and leather.

Foot-and-mouth disease affects cloven-hoofed animals such as pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, and buffaloes. While it poses no health risk to humans or food safety concerns, uncontained outbreaks can devastate livestock production, cause local supply shortages, drive up farmgate production costs, and inflict severe economic losses on agricultural producers.

“The Philippines has worked hard to protect its livestock sector from devastating animal diseases,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement. “Acting swiftly against emerging risks is essential to safeguarding food security, protecting farmers' livelihoods, and preserving public confidence in our food supply.”

He emphasized that Manila is maintaining a science-based, precautionary stance—prioritizing the health of the domestic agricultural economy while remaining open to safe international trade.