G/SPS/N/PHL/439  
 
7 June 2019  
(19-3942) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  PHILIPPINES  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Domestic and wild pigs and their products including pork meat, pig 
skin and semen  
4. Regions o r countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Hong Kong, China  
5. Title of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 12  
"Temporary Ban on the Importation of Domestic and Wild Pigs and their Products 
Inlcuding Pork Meat, Pig Skin and Semen Originating from Hong Kong" . Language(s): 
English . Number of pages: 1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/PHL/19_3355_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Order bans the importation of domestic and wild pigs and 
their products from Hong Kong, China and immediately suspends the processing, 
evaluation of the application and issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) import 
clearance of the aforementione d goods.  All shipments of the said commodities into the 
country will be stopped and confiscated by DA Veterinary Quarantine Officers/Inspectors 
at all major ports.  Importation of feed ingredients or porcine origin is subject to the 
conditions provided in A rticle 15.1.22 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 2018.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Based on the official 
report submitted by Dr Thomas Sit, Chief Veterinary Officer/Assistant Director (Inspection  
and Quarantine), Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong K ong Special 
Administrative Region Government, Hong Kong, Hong Kong (SAR -PRC) to the World 
Health Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), there was a case of African Swine Fever 
(ASF) in Hong Kong, China (Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse, New Territories) affecting  swine 
as confirmed by Tai Lung Veterinary Laboratory, Agriculture, Fisheries  and Conservation 
Department (National laboratory).  
9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or  serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  G/SPS/N/PHL/439  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Chapters 1.1, 4.3, 15.1 and 
Article  15.1.22 of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 2018  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international stand ard:  
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
14 May 2019  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@gmail.com   
 
or 
 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 920 0815  
Fax: +(632) 920 0916  
E-mail: nvqs_bai@yahoo.com  
quarantine_bai@yahoo.com  G/SPS/N/PHL/439  
 
- 3 - 
 
  13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@gmail.com   
 
or 
 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 920 0815  
Fax: +(632) 920 0916  
E-mail: nvqs_bai@yahoo.com  
quarantine_bai@yahoo.com