EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 251 June 15, 1995
DECLARING THE ISLAND OF LUZON AS CALAMITY AREA AS A RESULT OF THE FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE EPIDEMIC, RATIONALIZING PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURES FOR THE ERADICATION OF FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN THE COUNTRY, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE
WHEREAS, there has been a series of reports of outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in the animal industry particularly on swine, cattle, and carabao in the entire Island of Luzon;
WHEREAS, the Secretary of Agriculture through a Technical Committee created to look into these reports have confirmed the presence of the said disease in the entire Island of Luzon;
WHEREAS, the Department of Agriculture has recognized that the alarming rate of the spread of the disease has reached epidemic proportions; further, that such s spread must be arrested and prevented from affecting the Visayas and Mindanao provinces, including Palawan, most of which are now declared FMD-free zones;
WHEREAS, there is a need to rationalize the functions of the various government agencies and local government units concerned in the eradication of the disease from Philippine soil;
WHEREAS, failure to eradicate the disease from the country will greatly affect the animal industry and the national economy, as it will tend work against our global competitiveness in this particular agricultural sector when the effectivity of World Trade Organization shall have commenced;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:
Sec. 1. That the entire Island of Luzon be declared as a Calamity Area as a result of the foot and mouth disease epidemic.
Sec. 2. The initial amount of Twenty Million (P20,000,000.00) pesos be released from the President's calamity fund for the initial implementation of this Order, if the need arises, further fund releases from the calamity fund shall be allowed upon approval by the Office of the President.
Sec. 3. The Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), shall coordinate and supervise the implementation of the necessary preventive and control measures, the monitoring of the presence of the Foot and Mouth Disease, and the procurement, distribution, and administration of vaccines to the affected areas of the country.
Sec. 4. All concerned agencies, including local government units, shall immediately report to the Bureau of Animal Industry any occurrence of the disease in their respective jurisdiction. They shall provide all necessary assistance to DA-BAI inspection teams operating within their jurisdiction. Further, in case a Local Government Units is declared as FMD infected area by the Department of Agriculture, Ten (10) percent of the contingency fund allocated from their Internal Revenue Allotment shall be used for the procurement of vaccines, drugs and/or biological necessary for the control of FMD in their respective areas.
Sec. 5. The Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Animal Industry shall give priority to backyard animal raisers in the distribution and administration of vaccines to affected animals and, if possible, give the vaccines free of charge to backyard farmers/raisers.
Sec. 6. Procurement of the necessary medicines, vaccines, and laboratory equipment, whether local or made abroad, for the prosecution of the intents of this Order shall be exempted from payment of tariffs, customs duties, or any other applicable taxes. For this purpose, a certification from the Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry indicating that said medicines, vaccines, and/or equipment shall be used for the eradication of FMD shall be necessary.
Sec. 7. The Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the President of the Philippines monthly accomplishment reports, stating the progress of the work done on the eradication of FMD, further works to be done, recommendations, if any. lawphi1.net
Sec. 8. If any provision of this Executive Order is declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions shall remain in force.
Sec. 9. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately upon approval and shall remain in effect until the Foot and Mouth Disease shall have been officially declared by the DA-BAI as totally eradicated in the country. lawphi1.net
Done in the City of Manila, this 15th day of June in the year of Our lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety five.
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