Although declared as a bird flu-free province, the Provincial Veterinary Office and local health offices in Oriental Negros remain vigilant in the implementation of precautionary measures to keep avian flu away.

The PVO conducts random blood sampling of birds such as egret (tulabong) every month in the cities of Tanjay and Bais, a press release from PVO said.

The cities have been identified to be areas where migratory birds land, Dr. Rodney George Pangilinan, special project coordinator at the Provincial Veterinary Office, said.

The abundance of food resources, wetlands and mangrove forests attract the migratory birds who fly here during the warm season to take advantage of good weather conditions that prevail in the islands of Central Visayas between September and January.

Records show that most of the migratory birds from other Asian countries stay for a while in the mangrove and wetlands of Bayawan City, Tanjay and Bais.

Recently, Japan pledged an additional $67 million contribution to the battle against avian influenza and other pandemic diseases that have hit some countries in the Southeast Asian region, the press release said. Last year, Japan also contributed $150 million to the multi-nation campaign against avian flu.*

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