SENATOR Francis Tolentino has asked newly appointed Health Secretary Ted Herbosa to help livestock raisers combat African Swine Flu (ASF) and Avian Influenza Flu (AIF).
Tolentino told Herbosa to coordinate with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) in delivering the much-needed vaccines to the hog and poultry raisers.
In a radio interview, Tolentino regretted that existing policies limit the number of doses to be given to the farmers, not to mention the high costs of the medicines.
“Pwede po bang magtulungan ang Department of Health at Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)? Para naman siguro etong kakulangan sa bakuna sa ating mga poultry products at sa ating mga baboy ay matulungan natin ang ating mga magsasaka,” Tolentino said.
“Marami po tayong mga magsasaka na nahihirapan sa pronouncement ng Bureau of Animal Industry na yung bakuna para sa swine flu eh 400 o 600 at may kamahalan,” he noted.
Tolentino recalled that during his recent visit to Pampanga, hog raisers and poultry operators told him they were willing to pay for the vaccines to sustain their source of livelihood. However, the volume of doses allowed by the BAI was insufficient to meet the farmers’ demands.
Herbosa vowed to address the problem, saying he would immediately coordinate with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to find out how they could collaborate to resolve the farmers’ concerns.
Tolentino earlier filed Senate Resolution No. 580 seeking a legislative inquiry on the government’s actions to ward off another possible outbreak of bird flu in the country.