TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Kalinga field office provided a comprehensive training for quarantine officers and market inspectors assigned at animal checkpoints.
BFAR-Kalinga Fishing Regulations Officer I Sarah Jean Biyang said the training held on April 11 and 12 aims to equip the participants with the knowledge and skills to effectively carry out their roles and responsibilities as compliance officers.
The participants, who man the province’s entry points in Tabuk City and Rizal, were trained on proper quarantine procedures and oriented on relevant laws and regulations such as the Philippine Fisheries Code, Food Safety Act, Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, Fisheries Administrative Order 233, and the Provincial Revenue Code.
As the persons responsible for inspecting shipments of animal products, the participants play an important role in preventing the spread of exotic pests and diseases as well as ensuring proper revenue collection, Biyang said.
Vigilance is especially important right now among stakeholders amid the threat of African swine fever, she said.
Tabuk City is currently implementing a 90-day operational plan to clear its hog industry of the disease.
Based on the provincial government’s records, the largest shipments of animal products to Kalinga during the first quarter of 2024 are chicken and tilapia at 73,053.08 kilograms and 137,505 kilograms, respectively.
The province collected a total of P434,961.28 in animal quarantine fees for various animal products during the period. – Iryll Gay O. Sicnao
