TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources office in Region 8 (DENR 8) is monitoring migratory birds coming to Eastern Visayas, in an effort to monitor avian influenza and other related diseases brought about by foreign birds.

Arnulito Viojan, DENR-8 avian influenza prevention program focal person, told reporters in a press conference that his office is intensifying its population survey on migratory birds coming to the region.

Viojan said that the migratory bird population survey is being conducted in seven survey identified sites of DENR-8 in Eastern Visayas in an effort to detect birds carrying highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Viojan explained that his office is monitoring the migratory birds coming to the region because Eastern Visayas belongs to the western Pacific flyway where migratory birds from other Asian countries intermingle with other bird species nesting during the winder season in identified survey sites around the region.

He also said vigorous monitoring efforts on migratory birds help to ensure early detection of the avian flu virus carried by the migratory birds coming to Eastern Visayas. A possible indication of avian disease carried by migratory birds is when there are incidents of deaths among the birds in the identified monitoring sites.

“Because we cannot control wild birds, our best protection is an early warning system and this move to observe more wild birds throughout the region will help us to quickly identify, respond and control the virus if it arrives in the country,” Viojan said.

In Eastern Visayas, he said, the seven identified survey sites are the Guiuan reef flat wetlands in Eastern Samar; the Rosario wetlands and Catubig Valley in Catubig, both in Northern Samar; Basey wetlands in Samar; Maqueda Bay wetlands covering the coastal towns of Jiabong, Motiong and Paranas also in Samar; the Carigara Bay wetlands that extends to the coasts of Capoocan, Barugo and San Miguel towns in Leyte, and the mud flat wetlands of Ormoc.