G/SPS/N/PHL/435  
 
18 March 2019  
(19-1666) 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 and by -products including 
pork meat, pig ski n and their products and by -products including pork meat, pig skin and 
semen  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Viet Nam  
5. Title of the notif ied document: Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 4 
Series of 2019, Temporary Ban on the Importation of Domestic and Wild Pigs and their 
Products and By -products including Pork Meat, Pig Skin and Semen Originating from 
Viet Nam. Language(s): English. Number of pages: 1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/PHL/19_1528_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: The Order bans the importation of domestic and wild pigs and 
their products, including pork meat and semen and immediately suspends the processing, 
evaluation of the application and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import 
clearance for the said commodities.  All shipments of the  aforementioned goods into the 
country will be stopped and confiscated by all DA Veterinary Quarantine 
Officers/Inspectors at all major ports.  Frozen pork meats from accredited establishments 
already in transit upon issuance of this Order are allowed to en ter the country subject to 
veterinary quarantine rules and regulations.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage fro m pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: Based on news 
reports, pork products from Viet Nam brought into Chinese Taipei have tested positive for 
African swine fever (ASF) virus and there is a need to prevent the entry  of ASF virus into 
the Philippines to protect the health of the local swine population.  G/SPS/N/PHL/435  
 
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  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 t ext):  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Chapters 1.1, 4.3 and 15.1 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 standard:  
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which th ese are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
18 February 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@da.gov.ph  
 
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/435  
 
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  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) 9 26 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph  
 
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