MANILA – Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has officially declared the Province of Bulacan free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), following the successful containment of a confirmed outbreak in December 2024.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) made the declaration after extensive surveillance confirmed negative results for the virus in and around the affected area. The outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu, detected in a commercial duck farm in Pandi, Bulacan, was confirmed through RT-PCR testing.

Upon confirmation, the provincial government of Bulacan, in coordination with the local government unit of Pandi, the DA Regional Field Office III (DARFO III), and the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), immediately activated control measures under the Avian Influenza Protection Program (AIPP). These included depopulation of affected flocks, disinfection of premises, movement restrictions, and intensive monitoring within 1-kilometer and 7-kilometer surveillance zones.

Follow-up surveillance showed no further presence of the influenza type A virus, meeting the standards of the World Organization for Animal Health’s (WOAH) Terrestrial Animal Health Code. This allowed the province to regain its AI-free status 28 days after the last infected site was disinfected and subsequent testing confirmed the absence of infection.

The DA said the swift response of national and local agencies was in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to immediately address animal diseases to ensure supply and price stability and protect farmers’ incomes.

Bulacan had reported HPAI H5N1 cases in 2022 and 2023 but regained its disease-free status each time through rapid containment and strict biosecurity measures.

The DA emphasized that any future confirmed outbreaks would lead to the immediate revocation of the AI-free declaration and reimplementation of containment protocols.

Tiu Laurel commended the cooperation of national and local government agencies, calling the declaration a milestone in safeguarding animal health and strengthening the resilience of the country’s poultry industry.