.

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3374

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Sharon S. Garin

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) was created in 1930 by virtue of Republic
Act No. 3639. Since its creation, the Bureau has gone through several organizational

changes mandated by various Republic Acts, Presidential Decree, and Executive
Orders.

Currently, the BAI is an attached agency under the purview of the Department

of Agriculture (DA) and plays a significant role in the over-all protection and
development of the Animal Industry. Its functions include the investigation, reporting
and prevention of the cause and dangers of communicable diseases among animals;
research and development of animal health, welfare and food production; and
regulation of imported and foreign animals

The Animal Industry, with its livestock and poultry sectors, contributes a great
deal to the country’s GDP. In the first quarter of 2014 alone, the Bureau of Agricultural
Statistics recorded that the livestock and poultry subsectors made up 30% of the
country’s total agricultural output, amounting to Php59.43 billion.

With the outbreaks of communicable diseases coming from other countries, the
Agriculture Industry is facing the threat of economic losses with far reaching effects.
In order to minimize the effects of these threats and prevent the downfall of the Animal
Industry, the BAI should be strengthened to cover the holistic need of the animal
industry. The necessity to have a comprehensive law that will capture all the Republic
Acts, Executive Orders and Presidential Decrees is hereby proposed which details the
powers, functions, and the restructuring of the Animal Industry Bureau of the
Philippines.

The bureau will be converted to a National Livestock and Veterinary Services
Authority (NLVSA) as provided in this proposed measure with the corresponding
powers and functions necessary to pursue their duties.


The proposed measure also seeks to restructure the said agency with the
retention of some divisions while others were abolished and the existing advisory
committees renamed including the National Advisory Committee for the Welfare of
Animals or NACWA (currently, Committee on Animal Welfare or CAW), and Animal
Feeds Advisory Committee or AFAC (currently named as the Animal Feed Control
Advisory Committee or AFCAC).

Furthermore, the measure transfers all responsibilities of the DA's regional staff
performing veterinary services and functions to the RLVSO.

In addition, the measure mandates the Local Government Units (LGUs) to
closely cooperate with and extend available manpower, material, and financial
resources to the NLVSA within their respective jurisdictions.

Most importantly, because it is the responsibility of the State to provide just
compensation and benefits to its workers, the proposed bill mandates the national
government to provide additional allowances and benefits to Veterinary Officers (VOs),
Animal Health Technicians (AHTs), and veterinarians employed by the NLVSA in
accordance to the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers.

Prohibited acts such as failure to report notifiable diseases; obstruction of
NLVSA duties; false statements; non-registration of transport facilities and equipment;
use of fake certificate; illegal manufacture and use of feeds and veterinary drugs; and
refusal to vaccinate animals shall be penalized in accordance to the proposed bill.

Itis the task of the Philippine government to promote and protect animal health
and welfare, establish a responsive national veterinary authority, encourage the
participation of various veterinary service providers, and secure the development of
the animal industry in the attainment of greater safeguards and food security for the
country’s animal and human populations.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 3374

Introduced by Representative Sharon S. Garin

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE ANIMAL INDUSTRY AND VETERINARY SERVICES
IN THE PHILIPPINES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

Chapter |
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS

Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Animal Industry and Veterinary
Services Act."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is a declared policy of the State to promote and
protect animal health and welfare, recognize the importance of efficient delivery of
sanitary measures, establish a modern and responsive national veterinary authority,
encourage the participation of various veterinary service providers, and secure the
development of the animal industry in the attainment of greater safeguards and food
security for the country's animal and human populations, improved public health and
environment, and enhanced global trade competitiveness.

Section 3. Coverage. This Act shall apply to all programs, activities and undertakings
of persons, corporations, associations, organizations, small-hold farmers, entities, or
government agencies that, directly or indirectly, deal on:
(1) Animal health related matters such as, but not limited to:
a. Animal and zoonotic disease diagnosis, treatment, prevention, control
and eradication;
b. Early detection systems and compulsory reporting of important animal
diseases and zoonoses;
¢. Inspection and monitoring of: i) animals, animal products and by-
products; ii) animal facilities, premises, equipment, means of
transportation and other inanimate things in contact with animals and/or


animal products; iii) animal feeds, feed ingredients, supplements and
additives; iv) veterinary drugs, veterinary biological and immunological
products, veterinary cosmetics and veterinary devices.

(2) Animal welfare;

(3) Animal production;

(4) Research and development on animal health and welfare, such as but not
limited to genetic improvement and operations of beef cattle, poultry and small
ruminant farms of the government for conservation of native domestic breeds;

(5) Marketing and product development; and

(6) Rational and judicious use of veterinary drugs, veterinary biological and
diagnostic reagents in animals.

Section 4. Objectives. The State shall endeavor to achieve the following objectives:
To promote human and environmental health from hazards caused by animal
diseases and zoonoses;

To establish a modern and responsive veterinary services;

. To formulate, promote, enforce, implement rules, policies and programs for the
promotion of animal health, animal welfare and environment-friendly animal
production processes;

4. To institutionalize inter-agency, multi-sectoral and local government

cooperation on animal health and veterinary service programs;

5. To ensure animal food production safety and food security in support of poverty

alleviation;

6. To guarantee compliance and harmonization of sanitary and phytosanitary
(SPS) measures and other veterinary protocols with international standards;

To promote an environment of global livestock trade competitiveness; and
To establish nucleus and multiplier livestock breeder and production farms in
support of the government's modernization programs in agriculture.

ON

on

Section 5. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act, the following terms and phrases
shall mean:

Accreditation — refers to the procedure by which government agency having
jurisdiction formally recognizes the competence of an inspection and/or certification
body to provide inspection and certification services.

Agribusiness — refers to the various businesses involved in food production, including
farming, breed and feed supply, agrichemicals, farm and processing machinery,
wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing and retail sales. It also means
making a “simple farmer” or “small backyard operator” into an “entrepreneur” by
legalizing their business venture with distinct identity and by developing their own
competitive edge in the industry group where they belong.

Animal - refers to vertebrate and invertebrate species whether domestic or wild
(exotic or indigenous) animals which may be food producing, companion, aquatic,
laboratory including birds, worms, bees and butterflies. The term excludes human and
non-mammalian aquatic species.

Animal facility — refers to structures or premises generally used for the purpose of
caring, breeding, rearing, holding, gaming, training, trading, treating and exhibition
such as but not limited to, farms, zoos, aviaries, apiaries, kennels, racetracks,
cockpits, pet shops, pounds, animal rescue centers, airport and seaport quarantine


stations, animal holding facilities, stables, livestock markets, slaughterhouses,
veterinary clinics, and veterinary hospitals.

Animal Health — refers to the over-all physical condition and well-being of animal(s).

Animal Health Technician — refers to any person who is properly trained and is
authorized to carry out designated tasks related to veterinary medicine under the
immediate supervision of a veterinarian.

Animal Identification — refers to the combination of the identification and registration
of an animal individually, with a unique identifier, or collectively by its epidemiological
unit or group, with a unique group identifier.

Animal Identification System — refers to the inclusion and linking of component such
as identification of establishments, owners, person or persons responsible for the
animal(s), animal movements and other records with an animal identification.

Animal Industry - refers to any activity relating to the production, breeding, caring,
rearing, holding, trading, transporting and use of all animals; animal processing,
marketing and feed milling.

Animal Production Food Safety and Security — refers to measures taken in farms
and production areas to safeguard the health of the consuming public and ensure that
the food derived therefrom is safe and of sufficient quantity or supply. This includes

measures taken to regulate and control the introduction of non-food animals to the
food chain.

Animal Products and By-Products — refer to any meat, fat, milk whey, cream, butter,
cheese, egg or other food or foodstuffs derived from an animal; or any part of the
viscera of an animal, hide, skin, hair, wool, feathers, shell, horn or hoof, or any article
or substance derived from dung, urine, feces, bone, or blood of an animal; or any
secretion of an animal or any product or biological preparation made or derived from
any animal tissue or animal secretion; or any article or substance derived from an
animal such as semen, whether or not in combination with any article or substance; or
any article or substance or thing that is declared by order to be an animal product for
the purposes of this Act.

Animal Registry — refers to the list of information on animals (such as identification,
animal health, movement, certification, epidemiology, establishments) collected,
recorded, securely stored and made appropriately accessible and able to be utilized
by the NLVSA, and its stakeholders as described hereunder in Section 6, Chapter II.

Border Post - refers to any airport, seaport, railway station or road check-point to
domestic and international trade of commodities, where veterinary inspections are
performed.

Buffer Zone — refers to an area established to protect the health status of animals in
a disease free country or disease free zones, from those in a country or zone of a
different animal health status, using measures based on the epidemiology of the
disease under consideration to prevent spread of the causative pathogenic agent into
a free country or free zone. These measures may include, but are not limited to,
vaccination, movement control and an intensified degree of disease surveillance.


Certification — refers to the procedure by which official certification bodies or officially
recognized certification bodies provide written or equivalent assurance that animal
control systems conform to requirements.

Chief Veterinary Officer — refers to a veterinarian who has the responsibility and
competence of ensuring and supervising the implementation of animal health and
welfare measures, international veterinary certification and other standards and
guidelines in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organization for Animal
Health or Organization International des Epizooties (OIE) in the entire country.

Communicable Animal Diseases — refer to diseases which are transmissible from
one animal to another.

Compartment - refers to one or more establishments under a common biosecurity
management system containing an animal subpopulation with a distinct health status
with respect to a specific disease or diseases for which required surveillance, control,
biosecurity measures have been applied for the purpose of international trade.

Competent Authority — refers to the NLVSA which is the official authority charged by
the government in the control of animal health, welfare, animal production food safety
and veterinary services.

Confiscation — refers to taking into custody of animals, animal parts and/or products,
and/or of animal effects by the competent authority for its proper disposal for having
been the subject of violation of rules and regulations or posing risk to general human
and animal welfare.

Control Area or zone — refers to an area around the infected area where restrictions
will reduce and/or limit the chance of further spreading the disease.

Diseases - refer to the impairment of normal state of living animals showing sub-
clinical, clinical/pathological manifestation with infectious and non-infectious condition.

Early detection system — refers to a system for the timely detection and identification
of animal and zoonotic diseases which includes the following characteristics, namely:
(a) representative coverage of target animal populations by veterinary field services;
(b) ability to undertake effective disease investigation and reporting; (c) access to
laboratories capable of diagnosing and differentiating relevant disease; and (d) training
program for veterinarians and animal health technicians for detecting and reporting
unusual disease occurrence.

Emerging Disease — refers to a new infection resulting from the evolution or change
of an existing pathogenic agent, a known infection spreading to a new geographic area
or population, or a previously unrecognizable pathogenic agent or disease diagnosed
for the first time and which has a significant impact on animal or public health.

Epidemiology - refers to the science concerned with the study of factors determining
and influencing the frequency and distribution of disease, injury and other health-
related events and their causes in a defined population.


Equivalence of Sanitary Measures — refers to the state wherein the sanitary
measure(s) proposed by the exporting country as an alternative to those of the
importing country achieve(s) the same level of protection

Eradication — refers to the elimination of a pathogenic agent or disease from the
country or zone/area/region.

Establishment - refers to entities engaged in the manufacture, production,
preparation, handling, importation, advertising or sponsorship of animals, animal
products and by-products, veterinary drugs and veterinary devices.

Feed — refers to a mixture or combination of feed ingredients, supplements and
additives, in any form, by specific formula to be fed directly as a sole ration to animals
which is capable of furnishing the nutritional needs or requirements of the animal in
‘order to maintain life, promote growth, production and reproduction without any
additional substance except water.

Feed Ingredients — refer to all articles, in any form, that are added or mixed into the
composition or which are used as raw materials in the formulation of a feed or ration,
base feed, base mix, concentrate, feed supplement, feed additive, specialty feed
and/or special feed preparation purporting to supply additional nutrients, such as but
not limited to, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins, growth promoting
factors and/or correcting nutritional disorders.

Free Zone — refers to an area which the absence of the disease under consideration
has been complied in accordance with the requirements specified in the Terrestrial
Code of the OIE for free status being met. Within the zone and at its borders,
appropriate official veterinary control is effectively applied for animals and animal
products, and their transportation.

Governance - refers to the process by which the Philippines government (national,
regional and local), private sector, industry associations and other stakeholders
collectively solve the problems, needs and concerns of the animal industry

Hazard — refers to a biological, chemical or physical agent in, or a condition of an
animal or animal product with the potential to cause an adverse health effect.

Indemnification -refers to the payment for any loss of animals or damage to its by-
products in accordance with the guidelines established by the Veterinary Authority.

Infected Zone — refers to an area in which the disease under consideration is present.

International Veterinary Certificate — Otherwise called as Veterinary Health
Certificate, refers to the document issued by the Veterinary Quarantine Service
Officers specifying among others therein that the animals, animal products and by-
products or animal effects intended for international or domestic transport are free from
any communicable animal diseases or are not carriers thereof.

Livestock — means and includes horses, cattle, carabaos, sheep, swine, rabbits,
poultry and other animals or birds as the Secretary of DA may, from time to time by
regulation, prescribe.


Livestock Agribusiness Marketing — refers to the critical roles marketing plays in
the successful operation of an agribusiness firm by focusing on the six major parts of
agribusiness marketing system such as: 1) the agricultural input industries; 2) the
impact of technology-induced changes on production practices and the need for
marketing awareness on the part of farmers as a way to achieve greater profitability;
3) the commodity processing and food manufacturing industries; 4) the food
wholesaling and retailing industries; 5) the food service industry; and 6) cooperative
agribusiness.

Livestock Marketing System — refers to livestock economics system that relies upon
the markets and market forces to allocate resources and goods, to determine prices
and quantities of each product that will be produced.

Marketing — refers to the process of planning the conception, pricing, promotion and
distribution of goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and
organizational objectives.

Market Infrastructure — refers to facilities including, but not limited to livestock
“oksyon” market, wet/public market buildings, weighing scale center, holding pens,
warehouses, market information centers, slaughterhouses, connecting roads,
transport and communication and cold storage used by the livestock farmers in
marketing their produce.

Market Information System — refers to an information system concerned with the
collection, storage and analysis of information and data for marketing decision making
purposes. Information for use in marketing information systems is gathered from
customers, competitors and their products, and from the market itself.

Market Intelligence — refers to data or information obtained both publicly and privately
by market players that reflect a myriad of factors regarding prices, stocks, trends,
government policies affecting supply or demand, production and consumption of
products, by-products and allied products in an industry, e.g. animal industry, to
achieve a marketing or business-related competitiveness.

Market Research — refers to the identification of a specific market and measurement
of its size and other characteristics collected from direct observation of the consumers
(such as in retail stores), mail surveys, telephone or face-to-face interviews, and from
published sources (such as demographic data),

Notifiable Disease — refers to disease listed by the Veterinary Authority, and that, as
soon as detected or suspected, must be brought to the attention of the Veterinary
Authority, in accordance with national regulations.

Notification — refers to the procedure by which the Local Veterinary Authority informs
the National Veterinary Authority, of the occurrence of an outbreak of disease or
infection.

OIE (Office Internationale des Epizooties or the World Organization for Animal
Health) is the intergovernmental organization responsible for improving animal health
worldwide. It is recognized as a reference organization by the World Trade
Organization.


Poultry — includes chickens, turkeys, ducks, gamefowls, geese, quails, pigeons,
pheasants, partridges, and ratites reared or kept in captivity for breeding, production
of meat or eggs for consumption or for re-stocking supplies of game.

Production processes - refer to the transformational steps in the conversion of raw
materials to finished products.

Professional Regulation Commission-Board of Veterinary Medicine (PRC-BVM)
— refers to an autonomous authority regulating veterinarians and animal health
technicians.

Quarantine — refers to the act of isolating animals from other animals with no direct or
indirect contact with other animals, to prevent the transmission of specified
pathogen(s) while the animals are undergoing observation, and, if appropriate, testing
and treatment, for a specified length of time and/or to determine their freedom from
disease.

Quarantine Station — refers to a facility under the control of the veterinary service
authority where animals are maintained in isolation with no direct contact or indirect
contact with their animals, to ensure that there is no transmission of specified
pathogen(s) outside the establishment while the animals are undergoing observation
for a specified length of time and, if appropriate, testing and treatment.

Risk — refers to the likelihood of the occurrence and the likely magnitude of
consequences of an adverse event to animal or human health in the importing country
during a specified time period, as a result of hazardous elements.

Risk Analysis — refers to the process composed of hazard identification, risk
assessment, risk management, and risk communication.

Risk Assessment - refers to the evaluation of the likelihood and the biological and
economic consequences of entry, establishment, or spread of a pathogenic agent
within the territory of an importing country.

Risk Communication — refers to the interactive exchange of information on risk
among risk assessors, risk managers and other interested parties.

Risk Management - refers to the process of identifying, selecting and implementing
measures that can be applied to reduce the level of risk.

Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures — defined as measures applied: (a) to protect
human or animal life from risks arising from additives, contaminants, toxins or disease-
causing organisms in their food; (b) to protect human life from plant- or animal-carried
diseases; (c) to protect animal or plant life from pests, diseases, or disease-causing
organisms; and (d) to prevent or limit other damage to a country from the entry,
establishment or spread of pests. This also includes SPS measures taken to protect
the health of fish and wild fauna, as well as forests and wild flora.

Shipping Permit — refers to the document issued by the NLVSA authorizing the
person indicated therein to ship or transport the stated items to their indicated
destination(s).


Third party certification or independent certification — is defined as when a firm
requires that its suppliers meet a certain standard and requests an independent
organization that is not involved in the business relationship to control the compliance
of the suppliers.

Traceability — refers to the ability to follow or monitor the history or record of an animal
or group of animals during all stages of its life.

Vaccination — refers to the successful immunization of susceptible animals through
the administration of appropriate immunizing agents comprising of antigens or
bacterins or any agent appropriate to the disease to be controlled

Veterinarian — refers to a person who has been registered and issued a valid
certificate of registration and professional identification card by PRC-BVM.

Veterinary Authority — refers to the government authority, comprising of duly licensed
veterinarians, having the responsibility and competence of ensuring or supervising the
implementation of animal health and welfare measures, international veterinary
certification and other standards and guidelines in the Terrestrial Code of the OIE.

Veterinary Cosmetics — refer to any substance or preparation intended to be placed
in contact with the various external parts of the animal body or with the teeth, mucous
membranes of the oral cavity, with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them,
perfuming them, changing their appearance and/or correcting the body odor, and/or
protecting the body or keeping the same in good condition.

Veterinary Devices — refer to any instruments, apparatuses, implements, machines,
appliances or contrivances, including their components, parts and accessories
intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment and prevention of animal
diseases or to affect the structure or any function of the body or animals.

Veterinary Drugs — refer to articles for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment
or prevention of diseases of animals.

Veterinary Products — as use in this Act shall collectively refer to veterinary biological,
veterinary drugs, veterinary devices, and veterinary cosmetics as defined herein and
to other substances applied to animal facilities such as but not limited to disinfectants,
insecticides, and substances that modify or extend physiological functions, behaviors
or availability such as but not limited to hormones, growth promotants, stimulants,
enhancers, probiotics and acidifiers.

Veterinary Services — refer to the activities in the implementation of animal health,
welfare, feed contro! and animal production food safety by government and non-
government organizations.

Zone / Region — refers to a clearly defined part of the country containing an animal
subpopulation with a distinct health status with respect to a specific disease for which
required surveillance, control and biosecurity measures have been applied for the
purpose of international trade.

Zoonosis ~ refers to any disease or infection which is naturally transmissible from
animals to human vice versa.


Chapter II
STRUCTURE, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS

Section 6. The National Livestock and Veterinary Services Authority. The Bureau
of Animal Industry (BAI) shall be renamed as the "National Livestock and Veterinary
Services Authority (NLVSA)," an attached line agency up to the regional level under
the Department of Agriculture, chiefly responsible for overseeing and promoting the
health, welfare and productivity of the national animal population for food safety, food
security and rural development.

The NLVSA shall be headed by a Director General, with the rank of undersecretary,
who must possess a minimum experience of ten (10) years in practice as a duly
licensed veterinarian. He shall be assisted by a Deputy Director General for
Regulatory Services and a Deputy Director General for Research, Development and
Extension Services, who, likewise, must both possess a minimum experience of ten
(10) years practice as a duly licensed veterinarian

The Director General, and Deputy Directors General shall be appointed by the
President of the Philippines, while, the Center Directors, Regional Directors and
Director for Administrative Support Services shall be appointed by the Secretary of
Agriculture. All personnel below the Director and Regional Director levels shall be
appointed by the Director General.

Section 7. Powers and Functions. The NLVSA shall have the following principal
powers through the Director General or his duty designated representative:

1. Regulatory Authority. - The NLVSA shall have authority to regulate animal health,
animal welfare, animal production food safety and matters connected or pertaining
to, but not limited to general sanitary measures, risk analysis, animal quarantine,
diagnosis of diseases, animal feeds and feed ingredients, veterinary drugs and
biological products, and other pharmaceuticals and products used on animals and
the environment, animal facilities, equipments, devices and cosmetics, veterinary
research, animal production and international certification procedures.

2. Technical Assistance and Supervision. - The NLVSA shall provide technical
training for the capacity building and strengthening of livestock and veterinary
services related functions of all national government agencies and Local
Government Units (LGUs). It shall exercise technical supervision over veterinary
offices and veterinary related functions of all national government agencies and
LGUs. This includes oversight authority to require mandatory notification and
coordination, submission of reports and other pertinent data regarding animal
disease situations, within the respective areas or jurisdictions of other government
agencies and local government units.

3. Assumption of Control. - The NLVSA is authorized, subject to the approval of
the Secretary of Agriculture and in coordination with the concerned LGU and
regional officials of other agencies, to assume full control and direction in the
management of local and regional outbreaks of dangerous communicable and
zoonotic animal diseases, where the animal and/or human health status of the
country, as recommended by the hereunder described National Advisory


Committee on Animal Diseases and Emergency (NAC-ADE), is in actual or
imminent danger.

Visitorial Power. - The NLVSA, through its duly authorized veterinary officers,
upon presenting appropriate credentials or authority to the owner, manager,
operator, agent or any person within the premises, shall have the power to enter
and inspect anytime but following down time requirements of livestock and poultry
farms and other animal establishments, conduct collection of laboratory specimens
and samples with proper description and receipt of those taken, and when required
by circumstances and as authorized by the Director General or his representative,
impose preventive and control measures therein, in coordination with, and as may
be necessary, subject to biosafety entry requirements of concerned owners and
caretakers.

Declaration of Quarantine. - The Director General through a written order of
quarantine shall cause the immediate holding or detention for thirty (30) days or for
such longer period, if necessary, for observation and testing of animals, animal
parts, products, and by-products, feeds, feed ingredients, feed supplements and
feed additives, veterinary biologics, drugs, products and devices, and such other
materials or substances which are found or deemed to be infected or carriers of
dangerous animal diseases.

. Confiscation and Disposal. - The NLVSA, through appropriate destruction order,
shall have the authority to immediately confiscate and dispose of animals, animal
parts, products, and by-products, animal feeds, feed ingredients, feed
supplements/additives, veterinary biological products, veterinary drugs, products
and veterinary devices, and such other materials or substances that are declared
prohibited or banned; or showing signs and symptoms of dangerous animal
diseases; or, in case of animal feeds, veterinary drugs, biological and other
materials or substances, tested positive for adulteration, or contamination of toxic
chemicals or substances.

Articles or items that are undocumented, or of unknown source and conditions, not
covered in the preceding paragraph which the possessor, owner, consignee or
importer, as the case maybe, failed to substantiate through submission of requisite
documents, or establish the origin thereof and its compliance with pertinent
regulations within seventy-two (72) hours from quarantine shall, likewise, be
subject to confiscation and appropriate disposal.

. Call for Assistance. - The Director General may call upon any government
agency for any form of assistance consistent with its powers, duties, and
responsibilities for the purpose of ensuring the effective and efficient
implementation of this Act and the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder.

. Subsidiary Legislation. - The Secretary of Agriculture, upon the recommendation
of the NLVSA shall issue rules and regulations to implement and enforce the
provisions of this Act.

. Delegation. - The NLVSA shall have the authority to deputize local government
and private veterinarians to perform disease control, measures to obviate any
animal welfare concerns and animal health matters for proper implementation of
national disease control policies and programs at all levels. The DG shall deputize


Animal Welfare Officers from Non Government Organizations (NGOs), citizens
groups, community organizations and other volunteers who have undergone the
necessary training and accreditation for this purpose. As such, the Animal Welfare
Officers shall have the full authority to seize and confiscate affected animals in
violation of the provisions of the Act, subject to existing rules and regulation on
arrest and detention.

10. Emergency Response. — The NLVSA shall establish an emergency preparedness
plan to ensure the safety and protection of the animal population in the event of
natural and man-made disasters.

Section 8. Organizational Structure. - The technical, administrative, finance and
support services of the NLVSA shall be strengthened as may be appropriate and
necessary to carry out effectively the provisions of this Act. Various Centers shall be
established under the NLVSA and each Center shall be headed by a Director, who
must possess a minimum practice of five (5) years as a veterinarian, with supervisory
experience in any related field. Each center shall include divisions which shall be
headed by a division chief with minimum management experience of three (3) years.
The Centers established are as follows:

1. Center for Animal Health and Welfare (CAHW) - The Center shall be responsible
for veterinary epidemiology, animal disease surveillance systems, animal disease
prevention, control and eradication programs, risk analysis, herd health
management, animal welfare and animal health information.

The center shall have the following divisions: (a) Veterinary Epidemiology and
Economics; (b) Animal Disease Control and Veterinary Public Health; (c) Animal
Welfare; and (d) Animal Health Information and Communication.

2. Center for Veterinary Quarantine Services (CVQS) - The Center shall be
primarily responsible in issuing import and export certifications and conducting pre
and postborder inspections and monitoring, accreditation, quarantine, and if
warranted by biosecurity procedures, instituting immediate seizure and/or
confiscation of animals, animal parts, products, and by-products, feeds, feed
ingredients, feed supplements and feed additives, veterinary biologics, drugs,
products and devices, and such other materials or substances posing threat or
harm to animal health, The Center shall also be responsible for the maintenance
of quarantine stations and enforcement of animal quarantine and welfare rules and
regulations in the various inland and offshore shipping routes of the country.

The Center shall have the following divisions: (a) Sanitary and PhytoSanitary Trade
Facilitation (b) Veterinary Quarantine Inspection and Monitoring, and (c)
Biosecurity,

3. Center for Animal Disease Diagnosis (CADD) - The Center shall primarily
conduct laboratory diagnosis of animal diseases and act as a repository of data on
disease diagnosis. It shall be responsible for the management of regional
veterinary diagnostic laboratories, including the monitoring of certified/accredited
private animal disease diagnostic laboratories. CADD shall also be the National
Reference Center for Animal Disease Diagnosis.

The Center shall have the following divisions: (a) Pathobiology; (b) Bacteriology
and Mycobiology; (c) Virology; (d) Laboratory Standards and Compliance; and (e)


National Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory Information Management and
Coordination.

Center for Animal Feeds, Veterinary Products and Establishments
Regulation (CAFVPER) — The Center shall regulat the manufacture, production,
importation, exportation, distribution, handling, sale, offer for sale, transfer,
promotion, advertisement, the use and testing of pre-mixes, animal feeds, feed
ingredients, feed supplements and feed additives, veterinary drugs and veterinary
biological products and establishments. It shall likewise conduct assays on the
quality, safety, potency and efficacy of these products and veterinary drug residues
in animal products except meat.

The Center shall include the following divisions: (a) Registration, Licensing, and
Accreditation; (b) Inspection and Compliance; and (c) Laboratory Services.

. Animal Genetic Resource Management and Improvement Center (AGRMIC) —
This Center shall be responsible for formulating policies and programs for
sustainable animal genetic resources of domestic animals. It shall prepare in
consultation with various stakeholders the national strategy and action plan for the
use, development and conservation of animal genetic resources in particular the
native food animals.

The Center shall have the following divisions: (a) Breed Registry and Central Data
Management; (b) Gene Bank; (c) Native Pigs; () Native Poultry; (e) Native Cattle,
Goad and Sheep; and (f) Native Horses.

. Center for Animal Research and Product Development (CARPD) — This Center
shall address the national agenda for all researches on animal health, animal
welfare and animal production food safety and security in coordination,
collaboration and consultation with international and local agencies and
stakeholders.

It shall also be responsible for the generation of technology, technology adaptation
and demonstration necessary for maximum utilization of available resources in
accordance with the requirements of the national animal research, production and
development agenda and shall also serve as repository of all animal research and
scientific information.

This Center shall have the following divisions: (a) Animal Production Research; (b)
Veterinary Product Research and Standards Development; and (c) Animal Product
Development.

. Center for Livestock Trade Promotion and Development (CLTPD) - This
Center shall be primarily responsible for the promotion of the National Agenda for
the development and implementation of sustainable livestock business
development, animal industry strategic management, animal supply chain
management, animal knowledge and information network, participatory
governance, animal market and post production development and animal market
infrastructure and animal statistics and marketing intelligence, animal marketing
system programs and activities.


The Center shall have the following divisions: (a) Livestock Business and Industry
Strategic Development; (b) Market and Post-Production Development; and (c)
Socio-Economic and Marketing Research.

Section 9. Administrative Support Services. The NLVSA shall be assisted by an
Administrative Support Services which shall be headed by Director and Regional
Chiefs of Division, who must possess a minimum management experience of five (5)
years and three (3) years in any related field, respectively. It shall have the following
divisions or units, as maybe applicable, to wit: (a) Assets and Finance; (b) Human
Resource Development; (c) Property and Logistics Management; (d) Legal Support
Services; (e) Monitoring and Evaluation; (f) Planning and International Desk; and (g)
Information and Communication Technology Management.

Section 10. Regional Livestock and Veterinary Services Offices (RLVSOs). This
shall be created at the regional level to be headed by the Regional Director, who must
possess a minimum experience of at least ten (10) years as a veterinarian. Each office
shall be supported by such number of divisions as may be necessary in the
performance of regional operations.

All existing DA regional staff performing veterinary services and functions are hereby
transferred to the RLVSO

Chapter III
CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER, VETERINARY OFFICERS,
AND ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNICIANS

Section 11. Chief Veterinary Officer. The Director General of the NLVSA shall be
the Chief Veterinary Oficer (CVO) of the country. The CVO shall be primarily
responsible in the formulation and implementation of national policies, strategies,
priorities and action plans of animal health, animal welfare and animal production food
safety. The CVO shall also represent the country in official international dialogue on
animal health matters.

The CVO shall coordinate and, as much as possible, establish linkages with allied
government agencies, the private sector and academe in the implementation of plans
and programs in animal disease prevention, control and eradication to ensure prompt
mobilization of all essential personnel and resources in the event of animal disease
emergencies.

The CVO shall also endeavor to address current, recurring, new and prospective
national issues and concerns on animal health, welfare, safe feeds and food
production safety and security, with regional and global impact through the help of
other allied government agencies and stakeholders.

Section 12. Veterinary Officers (VOs) and Animal Health Technicians (AHTS).
The Director General of the NLVSA shall appoint or deputize veterinarians and other
personnel as VO and AHT. He shall prescribe the duties and responsibilities of the
National and Regional VO.


When the interest of the service so requires, the VO shall be entitled to incentives,
overtime fees and reimbursement of expenses for services rendered outside of office
hours which shall be chargeable to the parties served, at the rates to be prescribed by
the Secretary of Agriculture upon the recommendation of the Director General.

Section 13. Magna Carta for Public Health Workers. VOs, AHTs, and other
veterinarians employed or deputized by the NLVSA, including their administrative and
support personnel directly exposed to veterinary public health related activities shall
be entitled to additional compensations, and other benefits provided under Republic
Act No. 7305, also known as the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers.

Chapter IV
ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Section 14, National and Regional Advisory Committees for Animal Diseases
and Emergency. The existing National and Regional Committees on Animal Disease
Control and Emergency (NAC-ADCE and RAC-ADCE), which were created in the
advent of emerging diseases are hereby renamed and institutionalized in this Act as
the National and Regional Advisory Committees on Animal Diseases and Emergency
(NAC-ADE and RAC-ADE) under the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture.

The Chairperson of the NAC-ADE shall be a duly licensed veterinarian of good
standing, competence and probity in the veterinary profession, and a practicing
veterinarian for at least ten (10) years with sufficient knowledge of the livestock
industry and its animal related services. He shall be designated as such by the
Secretary of Agriculture from the recommendation of the regular members from the
private sector.

The manner in the filling up of the members of the committee and sub-committees
shall be prescribed and approved by the Secretary of Agriculture upon
recommendation of the Director General. The composition of the committee shall be
updated from time to time and as may be needed by circumstances.

Section 15. Duties and Functions. The NAC-ADE and RAC-ADE shall submit their
recommendations directly to the Secretary of Agriculture and perform the following
duties and functions:

4. Recommend policies and measures on the following:

‘a. Risk analyses and import protocols, prevention, control, eradication and
monitoring of economically harmful animal diseases including zoonotic
diseases;

b. Procedures to be followed in times of emergencies, e.g., nationwide
epidemic of food animal and zoonotic diseases and during disasters,
either man-made or natural;

c. Verification of reports on emerging zoonotic animal diseases;

d. Support the CVO in sourcing funds from national and international
funding agencies.

2. The NAC-ADE shall coordinate the activities of the various RAC-ADEs which is
the regional counterpart and have similar function advising the Secretary of
Agriculture and the respective Regional Directors (RDs);


3. Create sub-committees to address special issues and concerns of the NLVSA
and other agencies;

4. Assist in the review of policies, programs, and projects for the development of
the National Veterinary Services;

5. Assist in the evaluation of the implementation, efficiency and effectiveness of
the operations, programs and projects of the NLVSA, as well as the
enforcement of the provisions of this Act.

Section 16. National Advisory Committee for the Welfare of Animals (NACWA).
The Committee on Animal Welfare (CAW) created under RA 8485 shall be renamed
the NACWA which is multi-agency and multi-sectoral committee. It shall be chaired by
a representative from any of the private sector subject to the approval of the Secretary
of the Department of Agriculture. The NACWA shall be responsible for the formulation

of rules and regulations for the strict implementation of the provisions of this Act and
RA 8485.

The NACWA shall be composed of representatives from the following agencies and
‘sectors:
. Department of Agriculture;
Department of Environment and Natural Resources;
Department of Interior and Local Government;
Department of Education;
Provincial, City and Municipal Veterinarians’ League of the Philippines:
Philippines Veterinary Medical Association;
Animal Welfare Organizations; and
State and Private Universities and Colleges

se-oa0c9

Section 17. Animal Feeds Advisory Committee (AFAC). The Animal Feed Control
Advisory Committee (AFCAC) created under RA No. 1556 (As amended by Senate
Bill No. 627) adopted into law by Presidential Decree No. 7 in 1972, is hereby renamed
as Animal Feed Advisory Committee (AFAC) with eleven (11) members, the
composition of which shall be modified to add three more members, namely: one legal
representative from the NLVSA, one representative from the Legal Division of DA, and
one representative from the Philippine College of Veterinary Feed Practitioners.

Section 18. Mandatory Review and Evaluation. The recommendations of the NAC-
ADE, CAW, and AFAC shall be subjected to mandatory review and evaluation by the
Director General, before the same are submitted for final approval by the Secretary of
Agriculture.

Section 19. Other Advisory Committees. Other Advisory Committees may be
created to assist the NLVSA in the implementation of its various programs and
projects.

Chapter V
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AND LOCAL VETERINARY OFFICES

Section 20. LGU Assistance and Cooperation. Local Government Units (LGUs)
shall assist and closely cooperate with the NLVSA in the implementation of the
provisions of this Act. They shall extend any available manpower, security, material
and financial resources to any national animal disease prevention and control


measures, animal welfare and other national programs being undertaken by the
NLVSA within their respective jurisdictions.

Section 21. Creation of Municipal Veterinary Positions. The position of municipal
veterinarian shall be mandatory in all first class municipalities and optional in other
municipalities.

Section 22. Responsibilities of Provincial, City and Municipal Veterinarians. In
addition to the duties of a veterinary officer as provided in Section 489 of Republic Act
No. 7160, also known as the “Local Government Code of 1991,” it shall be the duty of
veterinary officers to:

1. Ensure the implementation of policies, rules and regulations issued by NLVSA
and other coordinating agencies in accordance with the provisions of this Act
and its related laws, rules and regulations towards the enforcement of animal
disease prevention, control measures and animal welfare regulations.

2. Extend assistance, as may be necessary, to the NLVSA in the implementation
or enforcement of animal disease prevention and control measures, and animal
welfare within their area of responsibility

3. Comply with all reportorial and documentary requirements needed by the
NLVSA in the implementation of this Act.

Section 23. Issuance of Mayor's Permit. No LGU shall issue any Mayor's Permit to
‘operate any farm, clinic, animal facility, kennel or any other veterinary establishment
unless the owner/operator has secured clearance from the provincial, city or municipal
veterinarian attesting to the fact that the establishment has complied with all the
requirements prescribed under NLVSA rules and regulations.

Chapter VI
ROLE OF ALLIED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
AND NON-GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

Section 24. Allied Government Agencies. Allied government agencies that are
performing veterinary services and related functions shall continue to do so. The
Director General of the NLVSA as the national competent authority shall call upon
other allied government agencies and academe in the implementation of this Act.

Section 25. Other Agencies and Sectors. The NLVSA shall establish agreements
with other government sectors, private sectors, academe and other relevant agencies
and stakeholders in the implementation of plans and programs in animal disease
prevention, control, eradication and to ensure prompt mobilization of all essential
personnel and resources in the event of animal disease emergencies.

Section 26. Responsibilities. All government agencies and private entities
performing veterinary and related functions shall cooperate fully with the Director
General and comply with the set policies and technical standards for veterinary
services.

Chapter VII


ANIMAL HEALTH, WELFARE AND ANIMAL PRODUCTION FOOD SAFETY

Section 27. Duty to Report Notifiable Diseases. All animal and livestock producers,
owners, operators, farm managers, farm veterinarians, animal facility operators and
farm consultants who have in their possession or care, animals or animal products
infected or suspected to be infected, or have reasonable grounds to believe that the
animal or animal product is infected with a notifiable diseases are duty bound to report
to the concerned LGU Veterinary Office or to the NLVSA or to the RLVSO immediately
within 24 hours by the quickest means possible.

These notifiable diseases include, among others, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD),
Classical Swine Fever (CSF, Hog Cholera), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory
Syndrome (PRRS), Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), Newcastle Disease
(ND) or Avian Pest, Rabies, Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE), Anthrax and
Hemorrhagic Septicemia.

The NLVSA shall provide a complete list of notifiable diseases and their reporting
guidelines which shall be updated from time to time.

Section 28. Proper Disposal of Dead Animals and Potentially Infective Materials.
Dead animals, manure, and other potentially infective materials from regular
operations of farms, clinics, animal facilities shall be disposed in accordance with
existing laws, rules and regulations and guidelines set by NLVSA.

Section 29. Animal Disease Surveillance and Epidemiology. All agencies
performing veterinary services shall be responsible in monitoring animal disease
situation by conducting regular surveillance of the animal and livestock population in
their respective jurisdiction and are required to report periodically to the NLVSA.

Section 30. National Registry, Animal Identification and Traceability of
Livestock. A national registry of animal facilities and establishments shall be
established by the NLVSA. An animal identification system shall also be developed to
be able to trace the origin of each animal or groups of animals. The NLVSA in
consultation with livestock stakeholders shall also establish farm classification system
in accordance with accepted standard and parameters.

Section 31. Mandatory Vaccination. To prevent, control, and eradicate emerging or
re-emerging, communicable and exotic diseases, all animals shall have to be
vaccinated in accordance with the implementing rules and regulations of this Act. In
case of refusal to vaccinate despite due notice, the NLVSA shall have authority to
require the LGU concerned to revoke the Mayor's and Business Permits issued for the
operation of the establishment.

Section 32. Emergency Preparedness. The NLVSA shall draft the National
Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Plans in response to animal health, welfare
and animal production food safety. Measures shall also be developed to mitigate the
effect of climate change in the livestock industry.

Section 33. Animal Welfare Practices. All animal producers, owners, operators, farm
managers, farm veterinarians, animal facility operators and farm consultants who have
in their possession or care, animals shall adopt and observe animal welfare
regulations and practices.


Section 34, Animal Health, Welfare and Animal Production Food Safety
Information System. The NLVSA shall develop a more effective animal health
information system involving agencies and other stakeholders on animal health,
welfare and animal production food safety including establishment of an effective
information network.

Section 35. Risk Analysis. Principles of risk analysis shall be incorporated in all policy
formulation and standard setting such as but not limited to the importation of animals,

animal products, by-products, veterinary biological products, animal feeds and animal
effects.

Section 36. Veterinary Public Health. The NLVSA shall take the lead role in the
formulation and implementation of veterinary public health programs and activities
particularly in the prevention and control of zoonoses and food safety.

Section 37. Mandatory Engagement of the Professional Services of a
Veterinarian. A\l animal establishments such as but not limited to farms, zoos,
kennels, apiaries, aviaries, livestock markets, animal race tracks and cockpits shall
engage the professional services of a veterinarian based on minimum number of
animals and other parameters to be prescribed by the NLVSA, in consultation with
concerned sectors.

Section 38. Farm Inspection and Certification. The NLVSA, in consultation with
stakeholders, shall establish standards and parameters on farm inspection and
certification.

Chapter VIII
QUARANTINE MEASURES AND FACILITIES

Section 39. Border Post Entry. The importation of animals, animal products, animal
by-products, animal feeds and feed ingredients, veterinary drugs, veterinary biological,
veterinary cosmetics and veterinary devices, and other potential vectors of animal
diseases shall be subjected to veterinary inspection at ports of entry, and if warranted,
placed under quarantine and tested as may be deemed appropriate and necessary
‘Such importation must comply with prescribed documents, such as, but not limited to
an Authority to Import duly issued by the NLVSA and secured prior to the importation
and an International Health Certificate and/or Sanitary Phytosanitary (SPS) Clearance,
or its equivalent, and such other documents as may be required by the NLVSA to be
obtained from the proper authorities of the country of origin.

Section 40. Boarding Inspection of Carriers. All vessels and planes, domestic or
international, are subject to boarding inspection upon arrival, and before departure for
any unloaded and undeclared importation, unauthorized exportation, or local shipment
of regulated or prohibited animals, animal products, animal by-products, animal feeds
and feed ingredients, veterinary drugs, veterinary biological, veterinary cosmetics and
veterinary devices, and other potential vectors of animal diseases. The captain, master
or skipper, other officers and crew members, and agent of such carriers shall render
assistance as the Veterinary Officer and his deputies may reasonably request to
facilitate the discharge and disposal of illegal articles.


Section 41. Release from Customs Zone. The Bureau of Customs or its
representative shall not allow the release of any article of importation that is subject to
veterinary inspection, quarantine and examination procedures unless the NLVSA or
its duly authorized representative has issued a Veterinary Quarantine Compliance
Certificate or Lifting of Quarantine for the particular shipment, as the case may be.

Section 42. Prohibited Importation. No importation of animals, animal products,
animal by-products, animal effects and other related products, such as but not limited
to fodder crops and forage, shall be allowed from countries known or declared to be
infected with a dangerous communicable animal disease or diseases which has been
banned to export the said products to the Philippines and where there is a possible
danger of spreading or introducing such disease or diseases into the Philippines by
the importation of such item. All in-transmit shipments at the time of the occurrence of
the foreign disease or contagion shall be subjected to strict disposal, and as the
NLVSA may determine, in the overriding interests of protecting the animal and public
health of the country.

Section 43. Wildlife and Endangered Species. In accordance with Section 2 of
Article 14 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
on effect on domestic legislation and international conventions, all kinds of wildlife that
are subject to veterinary quarantine regulations shall be under NLVSA jurisdiction.

Section 44, Exportation Clearance or Certificate. No animals, animal products,
animal by-products, animal effects, animal feeds, veterinary drugs, veterinary products
and veterinary biological products shalll be allowed to be exported and loaded on board
ships and airplanes or any vehicle unless it is accompanied by a Veterinary Health
Certificate or International Veterinary Certificate or Commodity Clearance duly issued
by the NLVSA and it has complied with the quarantine requirements of the country of
destination.

Section 45. Transhipment. All transshipment of live animals, animal products, animal
by-products, animal effects, animal feeds, and veterinary products at domestic or
international ports shall comply with the animal health and welfare rules and
regulations prescribed by the NLVSA.

Section 46. Domestic Shipping. All inland and inter-island shipments of animals,
animal products, animal by-products, animal effects, veterinary drugs and veterinary
biological products from one province or region to another shall be accompanied by a
Veterinary Health Certificate or Shipping Permit duly issued by the Director General
or his duly-authorized representatives. The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Philippine
Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) and other agencies/entities managing
fishports, and other ports shall require the owner, agent or master of carrier, or vessel
to secure and submit a copy of clearance from the Veterinary Inspector or his deputies
assigned thereat as a prerequisite to issuance of clearance to depart from the port.

Section 47. Illegal or Unauthorized Shipments. Shipments of animals, animal
products, animal by-products, veterinary drugs, veterinary biological products and
animal feeds which are found to be in violation of this Act and its rules and regulations,
or orders of the Director General or his veterinary quarantine officers shall be
confiscated and disposed of in a manner prescribed by the Director General.


Section 48. Registration of Commercial Livestock Traders and Shippers. All
commercial livestock trader and shippers or handlers who are engaged in the inter-
provincial and regional shipment/transportation of livestock shall register with the
RLVSO in order to maintain disease free areas and achieve safe, clean and orderly
handling of commodities through the various stages of marketing or distribution
channels.

Section 49. Prescribing Standard Operating Procedures for Veterinary
Quarantine Services in all Seaports and Airports. The NLVSA shall establish a
standard operating procedure for the Veterinary Quarantine Services at the different
quarantine facilities such as but not limited to seaports and airports in the country.

Section 50. Declaration of Infected Areas, Premises or Zones. If the Director
General has reasonable grounds to believe that any premises, place or area is infected
with a Notifiable Disease, he may, by a written order, declare an area to be infected.
In case of an outbreak of communicable animal and zoonotic diseases, the Director
General has the power to declare the area, region, province or specific farm or
establishment under quarantine.

Section 51. Movement in Infected Areas. Movement of animals, animal products,
animal by-products, animal effects, veterinary drugs, veterinary biological products,
and transport vehicles reasonably suspected to be exposed or contaminated with a
Notifiable Disease shall be restricted in areas, region, province or specific farm or
establishment that are declared infected, unless authorized by the Director General or
his duly-authorized representative. In the event of a disease outbreak, zones shall be
established to restrict the movement of animals between zones. Notices declaring the
areas under quarantine shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the Municipal and/or
Barangay hall, as the case may be.

Section 52. Lifting of Order of Quarantine. The Director General shall issue an order
lifting the quarantine where the areas, region, province or specific farm or
establishment declared to be infected are eventually determined to be safe and out of
danger from such infection. This shall authorize the resumption of shipments within
the affected places.

Section 53. Duty of Owner or Holder. A person who owns or is in charge of, or has
in his or her possession or control, an animal or animal product which the person has
reasonable grounds to suspect is infected with a Notifiable Disease must as far as
practicable, keep that animal or animal product separate from not infected animals or
animal products.

Section 54. Controlled Shipments. \t shall be unlawful for any person to possess,
administer or use infectious disease agents, for scientific, laboratory or other
purposes, unless duly authorized by a special permit by the Director General to handle
hazardous materials.

Section 55. Depopulation Order. The Director General or his duly authorized
representative may, by a written Depopulation Order require the stamping out of
healthy animals in declared infected areas, premises or zones to prevent further
spread of the disease.


Section 56. Destruction Order. The Director General or his duly authorized
representative may, by a written Destruction Order, requires the proper disposal of:
any animal, animal product, and effect, and if deemed necessary, any expendable
material such as, but not limited to, litter, bedding, feed bags, chick cartoon, animal
crates, cage, and feeds which is infected, or reasonably suspected to be infected with
a Notifiable Disease; and confiscated expired, banned, unregistered, counterfeit,
veterinary biological products, veterinary drugs and products.

Section 57. Disinfection Order. The Director General or his duly authorized
representative may, by a written Disinfection Order, likewise, require the owner or
person in charge or in apparent control of an area which is infected, or reasonably
suspected to be infected with a Notifiable Diasease, to clean and disinfect said area,
including vehicles or any material found therein.

Section 58. Disease-Free Areas. Declaration of any area as disease-free shall be
made by the NLVSA Director General upon the recommendation of concerned animal
health authorities of said office. The declaration of an area as disease-free shall be
subject to the guidelines set by concerned NLVSA

Section 59. Expenses of Quarantine and Authority to Auction. The owner,
consignee or possessor of the animals placed under quarantine shall reimburse the
NLVSA for the expenses incurred during the quarantine period of such animals. In
case of his failure to do so after a Lifting Order of Quarantine has been issued and
duly served upon him, the NLVSA shall have the right to auction off his animals to
recover such expenses made.

Section 60. Non-Liability Clause. All charges for storage, demurrage, cartage, labor
and delays incident to the inspection, cost of disinfection and disposition and other
post entry requirement shall be paid by the importer, exporter, shipper or consignee,
as the case may be.

Section 61. The Veterinary Quarantine Service Officer (VQSO). The VQSO or any
other authorized personnel of the Center for Veterinary Quarantine Services shall not
be held liable for damages to the commodity or any other damages in the course of
implementation of the provisions of this Act, as well as its implementing rules and
regulations.

Section 62. Disposal of food or garbage from vessels or planes. No food
provisions or garbage shall be unloaded from vessels or airplanes if there is danger
that such provision may introduce any communicable animal disease into the country,
especially if such provisions originated from areas known to be infected with any
communicable animal disease.

Section 63. Role of BOC, PPA, ATO and other ports. The BOC, PPA and other
seaport and airport authorities shall cooperate with the veterinary quarantine service
in the enforcement of this Act or any rules and regulations issued in the implementation
thereto, and shall five effect to the same in so far as they are connected with matters
of shipping, navigation and transportation, or shipment/transport of animals, animal
products, animal by-products, animal effects, animal feeds, and veterinary
drugs/products and veterinary biologics.


Section 64, Establishment of Veterinary Quarantine Stations. The NLVSA shall
establish and maintain quarantine stations for the detention, treatment and
observation of animals in such places as may be approved from time to time by the
Secretary of Agriculture, and to place all animals arriving from foreign and domestic
ports or interior places in quarantine for such time as he may deem necessary to
prevent the introduction and spread of dangerous communicable animal diseases.

Chapter IX
INDEMNIFICATION AND DISEASE ERADICATION TRUST FUND

Section 65. Creation of a Disease Compensation and Eradication Trust Fund. A
Disease Compensation and Eradication Trust Fund shall be provided for in the
General Appropriations Act annually be held by the Authority. It shall not be reduced
and shall not revert to the General Fund even if the same is not used for a current
fiscal year. An initial amount of Three Hundred Million Pesos (P300,000,000.00) is
hereby appropriated to start the seed fund for the Disease Compensation and
Eradication Trust Fund, subject to replenishment and increase to such amounts as
circumstances may require.

Section 66. Fund Utilization. The Fund shall be applied for the payment of
compensation to the owner of animals. It shall be utilized for the payment of expenses
directly connected with controlling, eradicating or preventing, the spread of any animal
disease that is notifiable or emerging or re-emerging, exotic and zoonotic including
administrative expenses.

Section 67. Coverage of Compensation. Only those animals that were stamped out
pursuant to the Depopulation Order issued by the Director General, as recommended
by NAC-ADE and as approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, to prevent further
spread of the disease should be indemnified. Dead animals due to notifiable and
emerging or re-emerging, exotic and zoonotic diseases are not compensable.

Section 68. Compensable Amount. The amount of compensation payable shall be
more than sixty per cent (60%) of the market value of the identified animals that are
ordered depopulated on account of a disease.

Section 69. Issuance of Compensation Guidelines. Guidelines for the payment of
compensation shall be prescribed by the NLVSA in consultation with stakeholders.

Chapter X
SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY (SPS) MEASURES, TRADE FACILITATION
AND HARMONIZATION

Section 70. International Harmonization. The NLVSA shall study and review
national standards on animal health, animal welfare and farm feed and food safety,
participate in international for a relative to formulation and adoption of international
standards and harmonize our national standards with relevant international standards.


Section 71. Certification Systems. The NLVSA shall, in consultation with
stakeholders, develop certification systems including third party certifications on
animal health, animal welfare, farm feed and food safety products, services and
production in accordance with national and international standards.

Section 72. Equivalence and Other Types of Sanitary Agreements. The NLVSA,
in consultation with other agencies and stakeholders shall develop, negotiate and
implement appropriate level of protection (ALOP) in relation to human and animal life
andhealth in its territory, based on the principle of equivalence and other types of
sanitary and trade agreements with trading partners such as but not limited to, the
application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures of the World Trade
Organization (WTO).

Section 73. Transparency. The NLVSA shall have the responsibility to notify the OIE
and/or the WTO SPS Committee of the country's animal health, animal welfare and
animal production, food safety, sanitary and phytosanitary status, and other relevant
matters. The NLVSA shall inform stakeholders on the changes in the regulations and
decisions.

Section 74. Zoning. The NLVSA shall have the authority to apply for recognition to
the OIE the disease-free zones and shall implement relevant measures and practices
to establish and maintain these disease-free zones as based on physical boundaries.

Section 75. Compartmentalization. The NLVSA shall establish and maintain
disease-free areas within its territory in accordance with OIE recommendations.

Chapter XI
VETERINARY LABORATORIES

Section 76. Certification and Accreditation. The NLVSA shall be responsible for
controlling both government and private veterinary testing laboratories. Only duly
certified or accredited veterinary testing laboratory facilities are allowed to do
diagnostic, feed analysis and other services. The NLVSA shall develop guidelines and
standards in the certification or accreditation of various veterinary laboratory facilities
and establish quality systems towards international certification.

Section 77. Biosafety and Biosecurity. Standards and guidelines for laboratory
biosafety and biosecurity shall be established and practiced by veterinary and feed
analysis laboratories per national and international recommendations.

Section 78. Proficiency Testing. A system of quality assurance shall be developed
and implemented to ensure continuing proficiency and competency of certified or
accredited diagnostic and assay laboratories.

Section 79. Establishment of a Specialized Diagnostic Laboratory for Swine
Diseases. There shall be established a specialized laboratory for the diagnosis of
swine diseases which have grown in complexity in recent years and adversely affected
all farms in the country.


Chapter XII
REGULATIONS ON ANIMAL FEEDS AND VETERINARY PRODUCTS

Section 80. Implementing Rules and Regulations. In consonance with RA No.
1556, as amended by PD No. 7, RA No. 1071, and Act No. 3101, the NLVSA shall
provide the necessary rules and regulations on the manufacture, production, handling,
storage, sale and use of veterinary biological products, veterinary drugs and products,
veterinary devices, mixed animal feeds, feed ingredients, feed supplements, feed
additives, concentrates, base feeds, base mixes, specialty feeds, special feed nutrient
preparations, other feed products and their establishments which have to be followed
and complied with for registration.

Section 81. Registration and Licensing. Each class, type, brand or trade mark of
veterinary biological products, veterinary drugs, veterinary devices, veterinary
cosmetics, mixed animal feeds, feed ingredients, feed supplements, feed additives,
concentrates, base feeds, base mixes, specialty feeds, special feed nutrient
preparations, and other feed products, inclusive of the establishments shall be
registered individually and shall be assigned separate registration numbers. A
permanent Book of Records on the registration number, codes assigned on each
product and indicated therein the class, type, brand or trade mark, technical
description and manufacturer/importer of each product registered shall be kept.

Section 82. Importation of Animal Feeds, Veterinary Biological Products,
Veterinary Drugs and Related Products. Importation of animal feeds, veterinary
biological products, veterinary drugs and related products without valid SPS and
permits shall not be allowed entry. All in-transit shipments at the time of the occurrence
of the foreign disease or contagion shall be subjected to strict quarantine and
laboratory testing, or automatically denied entry and/or confiscation and disposal, as
the NLVSA may determine, in the overriding interests of protecting the animal and
public health of the country.

Section 83. Temporary Revocation and Suspension of License or Permit, an/or
Stoppage of Production. Failure of any grantee of license or permit to comply with
any of the requirements provided in this Act or its implementing rules and regulations
shall be sufficient ground for the immediate temporary suspension or revocation of
such license or permit, and/or stoppage of production and marketing for the particular
product, with authority to institute recall order for said product, subject to the institution
of immediate formal proceedings against the grantee or licensee.

Chapter XIII
ANIMAL AND LIVESTOCK TRADE PROMOTION

Section 84. Animal Industry Market Profiles. The NLVSA shall maintain a database
of national, regional and local animal industry market profile to support the business
development of animal industries and allied industries. It shall, likewise, integrate
marketing information and develop a knowledge management system of the different
commodities/industries from national to local level.

Section 85. Country Animal Products Export Strategies. The NLVSA shall
formulate country animal products export strategies, conduct research and benchmark
exportlimport protocols, prepare industry analysis and reports of potential export


market of the different animal food commodities, and spearhead in the promotion of
exportable products and by-products to improve the performance of local agribusiness
establishments producing these tradable products and by-products.

Section 86. Contracting and Subcontracting Arrangement. The NLVSA shall
facilitate and coordinate any contracting and subcontracting arrangement between
local and foreign investors, as necessary to boost and improve the animal, animal
products and by-products export and local trading performance of the animal industry
stakeholders.

Section 87. Export Incentives Programs. The NLVSA shall formulate and implement
the guidelines and policies for the registration and certification of bona fide and eligible
exporters and facilitate and coordinate applicants and stakeholders that would like to
avail of the different export incentives programs of the NLVSA, Department of
Agriculture and other government agencies that are also providing related services to
stimulate international marketing of Philippine-made products.

Section 88. Livestock Business and Industry Strategic Development. The NLVSA
shall formulate and regularly update short, medium and long-term livestock business
and industry strategic development plan which will serve as guide and roadmap for
the development of the different industries in the livestock sector cut across the
agribusiness supply chain.

Section 89. Livestock Marketing Information System. The NLVSA shall strengthen
the livestock marketing information system through the development of database
systems, printed and online publications of marketing information which could be
readily accessible to the input suppliers, producers, marketers, processors, industry
associations, government and other stakeholders.

Section 90. Socio-Economic and Marketing Research. The NLVSA shall
strengthen the utilization of social-economic and marketing research to maximize the
benefit or the different methodologies and strategies of these interdisciplinary
researches for the sustained growth and development and the trade promotion of the
country’s animal industry’s products and services, considering the social and
economic factors that contributes to the increase in income, employment generation,
improvement of standard of living and quality of life of livestock farmers, traders,
processors, consumers, and in incorporating the socio-economic impact assessment,
as an integral part of any project, program and policy implementation by the NLVSA
and DA on the different industries/commodities.

Section 91. Marketing Information Governance. The NLVSA shall support the
development of marketing information governance to achieve a more transparent,
effective exchange and higher coverage of marketing information dissemination in a
national scale, to boost the competitive advantage, strategic and supply chain
management of local livestock farmers, traders, processors and other relevant
stakeholders, considering the different bilateral and multilateral trade agreements in
which the country is already a part of and continually complying with national
commitments to efficiently compete in the local and in the international market.

Chapter XIV
UTILIZATION OF GOVERNMENT FARMS:


Section 92. Public-Private Sector Participation. The NLVSA shall maximize the
economic potential of its various animal stock and research farms for the benefit of the
animal industry through joint government and private sector initiative and participation
in the utilization and development thereof.

Section 93. Use of Government Lands for Quasi-Public Purposes. All lands of the
government which have been reserved, donated, leased or acquired for animal stock
farms or breeding purposes are hereby reclassified or allowed for quasi-public
purposes. The Secretary of Agriculture upon the recommendation of the NLVSA in
coordination with LGUs shall have the authority to enter into joint venture agreements
over such lands with private individuals, corporations and cooperatives with the end in
view of maximizing their full potential for livestock production purposes, processing
and marketing in achieving the accelerated development of the livestock industry in
accordance with the currently approved zoning ordinance.

Chapter XV
PROHIBITIONS AND PENALTIES

Section 94. Failure to Report Notifiable Diseases. All animal producers, owners,
operators, farm managers, farm veterinarians, and farm consultants who have
sufficient knowledge oa a notifiable disease and fail to report it to the LGU Veterinary
Office or to the NLVSA or to RLVSO immediately within 24 hours by the quickest
means possible shall be fined for the first offense, the amount of Twenty Thousand
Pesos (P20,000.00) and for each succeeding offense, imprisonment of ten (10) days.

Section 95. Obstruction of Duty. The farm or establishment owner, transport
operator, animal facility operator or any person acting on his behalf who disobeys,
evades, obstructs or hinders the NLVSA Director General, or any of his enforcement
officers or deputized officrs to perform his duty shall, upon conviction, be penalized by
a fine of Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00). A repetition of the same offense shall
be punished by imprisonment of six (6) months and cancellation of the registration,
permit or license of such person, farm or establishment owner, transport operator
whichever is applicable.

Section 96. False Statements. Any person who knowingly makes false declaration
or misleading statements in his application for license, certificate of product
registration or permit, shall upon conviction, be penalized by a fine of Fifty Thousand
Pesos (P50,000.00) and imprisonment of six (6) months.

Section 97. Non-registration of Transport Facilities and Equipments. Failure of
the owner to register vessels, vehicles, and equipment related to transport of animals,
animal products and by-products, animal feeds and feedstuffs, veterinary drugs,
veterinary biological products, veterinary devices and other products shall upon
conviction be penalized by a fine of Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) and/or
imprisonment of sixty (60) days.

Section 98. Non-observance of Prescribed Procedures. Any person or
establishment operator which during the course of regular operation fails to observe
NLVSA approved procedures or during seizure, detention or quarantine fails to seek
clearance from NLVSA on the handling, disposal, or destruction and removal of live or
dead animals, animal products, animal by-products, animal effects, veterinary


biological products, veterinary drugs and veterinary devices, animal feeds and feed
ingredients shall, upon conviction, be penalized by a fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos
(P50,000.00) and imprisonment of thirty (30) days.

Section 99. Unauthorized Operation and Use of Registration Number.
Establishment operators/owners found without a valid License to Operate from NLVSA
or unlawfully using the registration number of another feed, veterinary biological
products, veterinary drugs and products establishments shall, upon conviction, be
penalized by a fine of One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) and imprisonment
of thirty (30) days.

Section 100. Failure to Display and Use of Fake or Expired Registration
Certificate. Establishment operators found not displaying the Registration Certificate
or displaying fake or expired certificates in the premises of the establishments shall,
upon conviction, be penalized by a fine of Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) and
closure of said establishments for second offense.

Section 101. Illegal Manufacture and Marketing of Animal Feeds, Veterinary
Drugs and Veterinary Biological Products. Any person or establishment operator
engaged in the manufacture, trade, importation, distribution, use or sale of banned,
substandard, tampered, adulterated, deficient, unlabeled or mislabeled, unbranded
ormisbranded, expired, repacked, unregistered or damaged through improper
handling of veterinary biological products, veterinary drugs and products, veterinary
devices, mixed animal feeds, feed ingredients, feed supplements, feed additives,
premixes, base feeds, base mixes, concentrates, specialty feeds, special feed nutrient
preparations and other feed products, in any form shall, upon conviction be penalized
by a fine of One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) and imprisonment of thirty
(30) days.

Section 102. Illegal Acts on Labeling and Use of Fake Veterinary Drugs and
Veterinary Biological Products. Any person or establishment operator found guilty
of tampering, altering, mutilating, destroying, obliterating or removing the whole or any
part of the labeling material packages and tags or labels of, or using fake or adulterated
veterinary biological products, veterinary drugs and veterinary devices, mixed animal
feeds, feed ingredients, feed supplements, feed additives, base feeds, base mixes,
concentrates, specialty feeds, special feed nutrient preparations and other feed
products, in any form, shall be fined One Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos
(P150,000.00) and imprisonment of sixty (60) days.

Section 103. Illegal Use and Sale of Veterinary and Human Drugs. Any person
found to be using and selling unlawful or unauthorized veterinary or human drugs for
animals raised for human consumption shall, upon conviction, be penalized by a fine
of Twenty-five Thousand Pesos (P25,000.00).

Section 104. Refusal to Vaccinate Animals. Refusal of an owner or caretaker to
have his animals vaccinated during outbreaks of notifiable and priority diseases,
emerging or re-emerging diseases and exotic diseases shall, upon conviction, be
penalized by a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) an/or
imprisonment of ten (10) days.

Section 105. Other Violations of this Act. Any person, officers of corporation,
association, organization or establishment found to be in violation of any of the


provisions of this Act that are not covered by the foregoing provisions, or rules and
regulations issued therewith shall, upon conviction be penalized by a fine of Fifty
Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) but not more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos
(P100,000.00) and/or imprisonment of six (6) months to one (1) year, at the discretion
of the court.

Section 106. Exceptions under certain conditions. Nothing in this Chapter shall be
construed as requiring the Director General to certify for prosecution any first violation
of this Act whenever sufficient compliance and public interest, with no damage caused
to the public or any individual, will be adequately served by a suitable written notice of
violation and warning duly endorsed by the appropriate Advisory Committee described
under Chapter IV hereof, and recommended by the Director General to the Secretary
of Agriculture for approval.

Section 107. Repeated Violation. Any person found to have committed a second
violation of the same offense shall suffer the penalty of fine and/or imprisonment
prescribed for said offense.

Chapter XVI
REVOCATION AND SUSPENSION PROCEEDINGS

Section 108. Institution of Complaint. The Director General or upon the instance of
any interested party may file a complaint before the hearing committee for the formal
‘suspension or revocation of the license or permit duly issued by the NLVSA for
violation of its terms and conditions, or any provisions of the rules and regulations
applicable thereto.

Section 109. Hearing Committee. A Hearing Committee is hereby created to hear
any complaint filed under the preceding section. It shall be composed of at least three
(3) members. The Director General or in his unavailability, the deputy head of the
Center for Animal Products and Services Regulation shall act as Chairman with the
Division Chief of the commodity concerned and any other Division Chief of NLVSA as
may be designated by the Director General, as members thereof.

Section 110. Powers and Functions. The Hearing Committee shall have the
following powers and functions:

14. To conduct formal investigation and hearings on the cases before it and make
recommendations for appropriate actions thereon for approval of the Director
General;

2. To administer oaths, issue summons and subpoenas requiring the attendance
and testimony of witnesses or the production of such books, papers, contracts,
records, statement of accounts, agreements, and other documents as may be
material to a just determination of the matter under investigation, and to testify
in any investigation or hearing conducted in pursuance to this Act.

3. To hold any person in contempt, directly or indirectly, and impose appropriate
penalties therefor ranging from One Thousand to Ten Thousand Pesos
(P1,000.00 to 10,000.00);

4. To enjoin any or all acts involving or arising from any case pending before the
Hearing Committee which, if not restrained forthwith, may cause grave or
irreparable damage to any party or the government;


5. To use all reasonable means to ascertain the facts, issues and applicable laws,
rules and jurisprudence in each case speedily and objectively and without
regard to technicalities of law or procedure, all in the interest of due process.

In any proceeding before the Committee, the parties may be represented by a
legal counsel. The Committee report, as approved by the Director General,
shall be final and binding on the parties after the lapse of fifteen (15) days from
its date of receipt of parties involved. Subject to execution pending appeal, any
aggrieved party may appeal to the Secretary of Agriculture within the same
period.

Chapter XVII
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 111. Confidentiality of Technical Information. The NLVSA shall take such
measure as may be necessary to protect trade, industrial and policy data of industry
stakeholders acquired or gathered during the course of official business when
disclosure of such information will prejudice the competitiveness or operational viability
of concerned persons or entities.

Section 112. Regulatory Fees and Retention of Income.
. The NLVSA shall have the authority to impose charges and fees for the services
as rendered subject to the approval of the Secretary of Agriculture;

2. All income of the NLVSA shall be deposited in an authorized government
depository bank as a special regulatory fund. Any interest earned by such fund
shall form part of the retained income. Such fund shall be used primarily for but
not limited to the acquisition and expansion of office and laboratory space,
human resource development and expansion, purchase of laboratory
equipment and motor vehicles, the upgrading of its current facilities and
equipment, and maintenance, and other operating expenses of the central and
regional laboratories, and other activities, services of the agency in the
performance of its mandate and support enforcement and monitoring activities;

3. The special regulatory fund shall be allowed to accept grants, donations and
other endowments from local and external sources in accordance with pertinent
laws, rules and regulations;

4. Any contribution, donation, bequest, subsidy or financial aid which may be
made to the NLVSA for the implementation of this Act shall constitute as an
allowable deduction from the taxable income of the donor and shall be
exempted from donor's tax;

5. The retention, use and application of this fund shall not be delayed, amended,
altered, modified, or affected in any way by an order or directive from any
executive office, but will be subject only to the general accounting rules and
guidelines by the Commission on Audit (COA). The primary purpose of the fund
as herein stated shall prevail over any other purpose that may be pursued by
NLVSA on its own initiative or through an order or directive by any higher office.
The NLVSA shall submit annually to the Secretaries of DA and the Department
of Budget and Management (DBM) a report on how funds were utilized
including its accomplishments;

6. There shall also be established a legal fund out of the interest earned from the
retained income for use in case of legal actions against the officials, employees
of the NLVSA in the course of the exercise of their official functions and duties.


ection 113. Appointment of Veterinary Attaches. The DA shall strengthen the
international animal health, disease surveillance, and information gathering capability
by the appointment of veterinary attaches in countries that are major livestock trading
partners. In other countries, the NLVSA, subject to the approval of the Secretary of
DA, and in coordination with other government entities concerned, may require Filipino
representatives abroad and foreign-based personnel to assist in the collection of data
on animal health, disease surveillance, and other related information.

Section 114. Foreign and Local Grants and Aids. The NLVSA, in itself or in
collaboration with other agencies, shall receive grants and other funds for its research
activities and various programs.

Section 115. Veterinary Education. The NLVSA in coordination with CHED and
PVMA shall regularly provide recommendations to make veterinary medical curriculum
responsive to the needs and imperatives of the animal industry.

Section 116. Mandatory Review. The Congress of the Philippines shall undertake a
mandatory review of this Act at least once every five (5) years and as often as it may
deem necessary to ensure that veterinary policies and guidelines remain responsive
to changing circumstances.

Chapter XVIII
TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

Section 117. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The NLVSA shall formulate and
recommend to the Secretary of DA the necessary rules and regulations for the full
implementation of this Act within a period of ninety (90) days after its effectivity.

Section 118. Creation and Reclassification of Positions. The NLVSA is hereby
authorized to create, upgrade, collapse or reclassify existing positions to veterinary
and related positions necessary to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.

Chapter XIX
FINAL PROVISIONS

Section 119. Appropriations. The appropriations for the NLVSA shall be included in
the budget of the DA under the General Appropriations Act shall be used to effectively
carry out the implementation of this Act. In addition hereto, the amount of One Hundred
Million Pesos (P100,000,000.00) shall be appropriated for the establishment of a
specialized diagnostic laboratory for swine diseases as provided under this Act.

Section 120. Repealing Clause. All laws or parts thereof, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

Section 121. Separability Clause. If any of the provisions of this Act is declare invalid,
the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

Section 122. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect immediately following its
publication in a newspaper of general circulation and in the Official Gazette.

Approved,