South Cotabato, Philippines— The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV) reported that the province is nearing the completion of its 90-day surveillance period for Avian Influenza (AI), with no new positive cases recorded since the last confirmed incident.
Dr. Ella Rose C. Frugalidad, Veterinarian II of the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian, stated that the monitoring period covers October 21, 2025, to January 19, 2026.
Throughout this period, the OPV has been conducting continuous and intensified surveillance activities in coordination with concerned agencies and Municipal LGUs, with all samples collected to date testing negative for Avian Influenza.
“Surveillance activities have been consistently conducted, and no positive cases have been detected,” Dr. Frugalidad said.
She added that testing and monitoring efforts remain ongoing to ensure sustained disease prevention and early detection, particularly in high-risk and poultry-producing areas.
Upon the completion of the 90-day surveillance period on January 19, 2026, the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian will formally coordinate with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to determine the necessary documentary requirements and to assess whether an additional round of surveillance will be required prior to the official declaration of the province as Avian Influenza-free.
“After the 90-day period, we will follow up with the Department of Agriculture to identify the required documents and determine if further surveillance is needed before the province can be declared AI-free,” she added.
The OPV continues to urge poultry raisers, local government units, and stakeholders to remain vigilant and strictly observe biosecurity protocols.
In 2022, the province managed a major outbreak that led to the culling of over 81,000 chickens in Tantangan and affected several farms in Santo Niño, eventually regaining its “bird flu-free” status in early 2023.
South Cotabato is one of the major supplier of fighting cocks to Luzon. Because these birds are often transported, they are under strict “no movement” policies during outbreaks.
The provincial government remains committed to safeguarding animal health, public safety, and the stability of the local poultry industry through proactive and science-based disease prevention and control measures.
