JAEN, Nueva Ecija — The municipal government is ready to declare a state of calamity, if the need arises, to contain the spread of avian influenza or bird flu that threatens some 1,000 heads of quails, on top of chicken and ducks in this municipality.
Mayor Sylvia Austria said that the sangguniang bayan and members of the municipal disaster risk reduction and management council have expressed support in every step “to help our people that maybe affected.”
“Naglagay na rin kami ng checkpoint sa mga barangay para ma-monitor ang pagbibiyahe, kasabay na rin ng sa Covid-19,” Austria said.
Austria said 20 out of 27 villages here have quail farms for an estimated total population of about one million layer birds.
Most of the quail farmers are new in the industry. They reportedly ventured into quail farming after their pigs died due to the African swine flu, she said.
“Ang sangguniang bayan po sakaling kailanganin at kung kailangan ng deklarasyon ng state of calamity ay handa po kaming tumulong sa ating mga kababayan,” said councilor Sylvester Austria, adding they will work hand-inhand with the Department of Agriculture in this regard.
“Naging source of income at livelihood ng nga taga-Jaen ang quail farming for the reason na lahat po ng mga babuyan either naibenta nila o namatay dahil sa ASF,” the SB member said.
