By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.
OLANGO ISLAND, Cebu - President Arroyo vowed to initiate steps to protect the country from the outbreak of the avian flu virus as she also announced the continuous protection and monitoring of the different bird sanctuaries in the country.
President Arroyo made the pronouncement after she visited the Olango Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary in Olango Island, Mactan last Wednesday.
"It’s important for us to continue to protect the country from the avian flu. It’s been in the region for the last two years, but the Philippines has been spared," she said.
The President said she will order the monitoring of the two different bird sanctuaries in the country to monitor the presence of migratory birds from affected countries.
The Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (OIWS) here is one of two popular and important bird sanctuary sites in the Philippines. The other one is the Candaba Swamp in Pampanga.
Olango Island supports the largest concentration of migratory birds found so far in the country. Migration starts from the breeding places of birds in Siberia, Northern China and Japan.
Anticipating the scarcity of food and winter cold, these birds fly as far as Australia and New Zealand from late July until late November. This is usually referred to as the Southward Migration. By late February until May, these birds return to their breeding grounds in the reverse Northward Migration.
Based on data gathered so far, the birds use Olango as a major refueling station as well as a wintering ground. At Olango, the birds can replenish their fat by feeding on rich supply of invertebrates in the intertidal mudflats. These fat reserves must fuel the birds on the next lap of their journey that may cover from 3,000 to 15,000 km. of non-stop flight.
President Arroyo became the first Philippines president to set foot on Olango Island, where hundreds of people crowded the streets to greet her and assure her of their "full support."
"The people (of Olango) are very excited because this is the first time that a Philippine president is visiting them," Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza said in an interview prior to Arroyo’s arrival.
President Arroyo was accompanied by Environment Secretary Michael Defensor, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, Government Media Secretary Cerge Remonde, and Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu, sixth district) and Rep. Eduardo Gullas (first district).
Press Assistant Secretary Martin Crisostomo earlier said that that Arroyo’s visit to Olango was meant to prove that the country remained safe from the deadly bird flu strain ravaging other countries in Asia and Europe.
Meanwhile, the Cebu City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution declaring a "State of Disaster Preparedness" for a possible outbreak of bird flu.
With this, the city government can tap 25 percent of the city’s P120-million calamity fund, of which only P15 million has been spent so far.
The rest of the fund can be used only when the city declares a state of calamity during a situation where the disease is actually detected, said Councilor Gerardo Carillo.
A separate proposal to appropriate P10 million to buy testing kits vaccines, protective devices and other supplies was shot down as premature.
The Council, in a second resolution, urged the Department of Health to distribute leaflets in cockpits detailing how the H5N1 virus, which causes avian influenza, is spread. Councilor Edgardo Labella, the sponsor, cited the case of a Vietnamese gamecock handler who died of the disease.
Councilors Carillo and Hilario Davide III tried to get a resolution approved appropriating P10 million to purchase bird flu test kits, personal protective equipment, human vaccines, and other supplies.
The budget was recommended by the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council and Dr. Nestor Alonso, head of the Task Force on Bird Flu Prevention and Control.
