Office of the Vice President

16 August 2017

Vice President Leni Robredo lauded the “very swift” response to the outbreak of avian flu in a town in Pampanga, while emphasizing that priority must be given to protecting the health of citizens.

“Mabilis naman iyong aksyon noong lumabas iyong balita na mayroong bird flu,” she told reporters at the sidelines of her visit to Floridablanca New Settlement Elementary School, for the inauguration of its new library.

“Sinubaybayan natin ng ilang araw na iyong ginagawa ng pamahalaan, particularly iyong Department of Agriculture. Very swift naman iyong aksyon na ginagawa, at umaasa tayo na parang hindi siya maiiwan na hindi tapos iyong problema,” she added. The province of Pampanga has declared a state of calamity last week, following the outbreak recorded in the town of San Luis. Movement of poultry products has been restricted within a seven-kilometer radius of the outbreak site, which covers San Luis and seven other areas.

Per the Department of Agriculture, the process of culling, or slaughtering, some 200,000 chickens, ducks, and quail within a one-kilometer quarantine area has started.

VP Leni said she understood that the outbreak is affecting businessmen who have invested much in the said industry.

She reiterated, however, that primary importance must be given to the public’s health and safety, and noted that businesses will be able to bounce back faster if the problem is resolved soon.

“[O]n the one hand, siyempre nakakabahala sa kalusugan sa mga tao. On the other hand, parang nakakaawa din iyong mga negosyanteng nag-invest dito. Pero ito naman… parating pangunahin kasi sa lahat iyong kaligtasan—kaligtasan natin—kaya kung kinakailangang isakripisyo iyong hanapbyhay sa ngalan ng kaligtasan, iyon naman iyong parati,” she said.

“Kasi tingin ko, lalong makakaapekto sa negosyo kung iyong pagkabahala ng tao nandiyan pa din. Kaya mas mabuti nang magsakripisyo ngayon kaysa tumagal pa ito… Para sa kapakanan ng lahat,” she added.