G/SPS/N/PHL/426  
 
16 October 2018  
(18-6424) Page: 1/2 
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 and 
semen  
4. Regions or  countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Belgium  
5. Title of the notified document: Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 31 
Temporary Ban on the Importa tion of Domestic and Wild Pigs and their Products Including 
Pork Meat and Semen Originating from Belgium . Language(s): English.  Number of 
pages: 1 
https://members.wto.org/ crnattachments/2018/SPS/PHL/18_5400_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: The Order temporarily bans the importation of domestic and 
wild pigs and their products including pork meat and semen. It immediately suspends the 
processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) 
import clearance f or the aforementioned commodities and also mandates the stoppage 
and confiscation of all shipments of the said commodities into the Philippines by DA 
Veterinary Quarantine Officers/Inspectors at all major ports. The Order specifies frozen 
pork meats with s laughter/process date on or before 25 August 2018 are allowed to enter 
the country subject ot veterinary quarantine rules and regulations.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  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 Jean -Francois Heymans, Director, Animal Helath and Safety of 
Products of Animal Origin, Federal Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC), Brussels, Belgium 
to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), there were outbreaks of African Swine 
Fever (ASF) in Etalle, Belgium affecting wild boar as confirmed by Sciensano (Nat ional 
laboratory) and there is a need to prevent the entry of ASF virus into the Philippines.  
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/426  
 
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   [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 these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
17 September 2018  
[ ] 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  
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@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