DA fine-tuning food resiliency protocols amid Luzon lockdown

The Department of Agriculture said Tuesday it was fine-tuning protocols to ensure the unhampered movement of food and agricultural products amid the enhanced community quarantine placed over Luzon.

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said smoother and unimpeded movement of food and agricultural product was expected in the coming days, particularly in Metro Manila and other high-density metropolitan areas in Luzon despite tighter quarantine protocols implemented at checkpoints.

“The Department of Agriculture is currently fine-tuning our food resiliency protocol, pursuant to the latest announcement by President Rodrigo Duterte, to ensure every Filipino household in the country, which are dependent on outside sources of food, will have access to safe and affordable food,” Dar said.

The Agriculture chief’s announcement came amid field reports that some truckers finding it difficult to deliver agricultural products into the National Capital Region because of traffic buildups at checkpoints.

“Delays and confusion among personnel at checkpoints are expected considering that this is the first day of implementation, which also coincide with the exodus of people going to provinces after the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine,” he said.

To avoid this, Dar said the DA was closely coordinating with the Philippine National Police, Department of Interior and Local Government, and LGUs for the proper implementation of food resiliency protocols —including the identification of food lanes and the implementation of quarantine measures for the movement of food and other agricultural commodities.

The Agriculture chief said that only trucks and suppliers with accreditation from the Agriculture Department could use the proposed special lanes.

“All vehicles carrying essential food commodities, agri-fishery products and inputs bearing government-issued stickers must be allowed passage at quarantine checkpoints through these food lanes,” he said.

As such, truckers, logistics and cargo operators were advised to secure accreditation from their respective DA regional offices to avoid hours-long queues at checkpoints.

For vegetables and rootcrops, Dar said “viajeros” can apply for accreditation at the Bureau of Plant Industry, poultry and meat products at the Bureau of Animal Industry, while fish and processed aquaculture products at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

For processed meat products, traders could apply for accreditation at the National Meat Inspection Service.

“While these so-called food lanes would allow unhampered movement of essential food commodities for residents of Metro Manila and the rest of the island of Luzon, quarantine personnel must still require proper documentation at quarantine checkpoints to ensure that food deliveries are safe from diseases,” Dar said.

“All truckers and food logistics operators will also be required to submit documents, including veterinary health certificate for live animal products and certificate of meat inspection for imported meat,” he added.

In addition, Dar said that farm inputs – including seeds, feed ingredients, and fertilizers – would also be allowed access at quarantine checkpoints to ensure continuous production of staple and essential food items during the 30-day period. — DVM, GMA News