USDA-FAS Gain report RB 2022-0020 released on April 1st updated official policy of the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines concerning issue of Sanitary Import Clearances.
Following discussions between USDA-APHIS and their counterpart, the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Industry of the Philippines, the Nation would now impose only county-wide restrictions on importation of poultry products following outbreaks of HPAI. In accordance with the 2016 agreement, state-level restrictions will be imposed when three or more counties in a single state are affected. Accordingly, some states have been declared ineligible to export live birds and poultry meat other than heat-treated product.
Concern over the risk of importing HPAI through inspected products from the U.S. would seem to be an overreach given extensive outbreaks of HPAI in the Nation.