Pork and pork-related imports from African swine fever (ASF)-affected countries Myanmar, Serbia and South Korea have been banned.
The three countries join an earlier list that includes Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Hungary, Laos, North Korea, Latvia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Zambia.
A memo dated Sept. 18 issued by Deputy Commissioner for Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group Edward James A. Dy Buco to all district and sub-port collectors added Myanmar, Serbia and South Korea to the updated list of the Bureau of Customs (BOC).
Dy Buco directed the officials to “coordinate with DA-BAI (Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry) personnel in all international air and sea ports for the conduct of rigid inspection, especially on the checked-in and hand-carried luggage of all incoming passengers from ASF affected countries, and confiscate and destroy all pork and pork-related products” from those countries “within 24 hours from interception.”
The BOC earlier prohibited arriving foreign vessels and aircraft, especially those whose last port of call was an ASF-affected country, from discharging their kitchen refuse, leftovers, and food wastes, part of measures to prevent the virus from entering the country.
The discharge of kitchen refuse, leftovers, and food wastes will constitute a prohibited importation under Section 118(g) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, according to a memo dated August 27 and signed August 30 by Customs commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero. The order states further that the prohibition is in line with customs, immigration, and quarantine formalities.
