The Department of Agriculture-CAR, in collaboration with the Animal Health and Welfare Division of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI-AHWD), spearheaded a fundamental updating/training session on Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) and the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) for GAHP and AWA Focal Persons at the City Travel Hotel, Baguio City on July 24-25, 2024.
The training aims to capacitate Regional and Provincial GAHP and AWA Focal/Coordinator, as well as possible resource person and pre-assessor on the Philippine National Standards pertinent to GAHP, Animal Welfare Act and protocols and procedures associated with it, with the aim to re- echo the knowledge to LGU or to private sector and stakeholder.
The two-day activity comprises of a series of lectures and mock inspection to have familiarity on the inspection checklist and protocol both for GAHP Certification and Animal Welfare Registration.
Additionally, the series of presentations were discussed by representatives from BAI- AHWD and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau CAR (DENR-EMB CAR).
One of the key topics was, Animal Welfare Law. Dr. Mark Joel R. Valeroso highlighted the five domains of animal welfare, designed to systematically identify different forms of welfare issues, including nutrition, health, environment, mental state, and behavior.
Animal Facility Registration and Inspection Protocol was discussed by Mr. Ren Eriz P. Miranda. He emphasized the importance of acquiring supporting documents during facility inspections and maintaining contingency plans, especially in light of current weather conditions.
Moreover, Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System was conveyed by Engr. Liza L. Canao, Chief of the Environmental Impact Assessment Section from DENR-EMB-CAR. She provided an overview of the online application of Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) Application System. She clarified that an ECC or CNC is not a permit, obtaining these certifications does not exempt proponents from securing other necessary government permits and clearances.
Further, Engr. Mark Benjamin T. Tangan from the Air and Wastewater Permitting Section of EMB-CAR discussed the procedure and requirements for acquiring a wastewater discharge permit, which is crucial for livestock and poultry production facilities.
Despite extreme weather conditions, which led to the cancellation of the scheduled mock inspection at the Baguio Animal Breeding and Research Center (BABRC), the training continued with a document review of the GAHP application for the Sheep-Breeder Facility and Dairy- Large Ruminant Facility at BABRC. The team agreed to advise BABRC to re-apply upon the availability of the discharge permit to be issued by the DENR.
Overall, the Regional and Provincial/City GAHP and AWA Focal Persons demonstrated their commitment to enhancing animal welfare standards and promoting sustainable GAHP in the region. //FMBalalong, Regulatory Division.**
