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(NAR) VOL. 24 NO. 1 / JANUARY - MARCH 2013
[ BPI ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 03, S. 2013, January 31, 2013 ]
REGULATING THE IMPORTATION OF RUBBER (HEVEA SP.) PLANTS AND PARTS THERE OF SUCH AS SEED, STUMPS, BUDSTICKS, ETC., FROM SOUTH AMERICAN LEAF BLIGHT (SALB) ENDEMIC COUNTRIES IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION INTO THE PHILIPPINES, THE SOUTH AMERICAN LEAF BLIGHT OF RUBBER, A DISEASE CAUSED BY MICROCYCLUS ULEI SRN. DOTHIDELLA ULEI, EXCEPT FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES AND UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS
WHEREAS, BPI Administrative Order No. 13, Series of 1949 was promulgated and issued by the Director of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to “regulate the importation of rubber plants and parts thereof such as seed, rubber stumps, budsticks, etc., from Central America in order to prevent the introduction into the Philippine Islands of a disease caused by Microcyclus ulei syn, Dothidella ulei, except for certain purposes and under certain conditions”;
WHEREAS, the South American leaf blight (SALB) caused by the fungus Microcyclus ulei (P.Henn) v. Arx is the most destructive disease of the rubber plant and a major constraint in the production of rubber in South America;
WHEREAS, the rubber industry is an important component of the agricultural sector and economies of rubber-producing countries in Asia and the Pacific, including the Philippines, and the introduction of the disease into these countries will cause great economic damage;
WHEREAS, this malady was recognised by countries of the Asia and the Pacific region, prompting the Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC), to advise members to take strict phytosanitary measures to prevent the entry, establishment and spread of the South American leaf blight (SALB) of Hevea sp. in the region;
WHEREAS, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) has identified the following countries as SALB endemic countries:
1. Belize 12. Haiti 2. Bolivia 13. Honduras 3 Brazil 14. Mexico 4. Colombia 15. Nicaragua 5. Costa Rica 16. Panama 6. Dominican Republic 17. Paraguay 7. Ecuador 18. Peru 8. El Salvador 19. Surinam 9. French Guiana 20. Trinidad & Tobago 10. Guatemala 21. Venezuela 11. Guyana
WHEREAS, the SALB disease is not yet present in the Philippines and other Asian rubber-producing countries;
WHEREAS, in order to protect the local rubber industry, there is a need to modify Administrative Order No. 13, Series of 1949 and strengthen existing measures against this important disease of natural rubber;
NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in the Director of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) by Presidential Decree 1433, otherwise known as the Plant Quarantine Decree of 1978 BPl Administrative Order No. 13, Series of 1949 is hereby amended as follows:
SECTION 1. The importation of rubber plants or parts thereof such as seeds, rubber stumps, budsticks, and other parts of the rubber plant from the countries identified by the IPPC as SALB endemic countries is hereby prohibited, except in the following specific cases and conditions:
a) | importations of limited quantities of planting materials such as rubber seeds, seedlings or budsticks for the purpose of securing better varieties, new propagating stock, or specimen for experimental purposes, in accordance with BPI Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 1981; |
b) | importation shall be made only with the approval of the Director of BPI, subject to the provisions of this Administrative Order, and only through BPI-designated and authorized ports of Manila, and |
c) | the imported stock must be held in quarantine in an isolation station until it is evident that no plant diseases or pests are present on such materials. |
The requirements for the importation of these planting materials shall be reflected in the Plant Quarantine Clearance (PQC).
SECTION 2. The BPI Plant Quarantine Service (BPI-PQS) shall prescribe and implement the regulations and measures related to:
a) | the prevention of the introduction of SALB into the Philippines; |
b) | determination of quantity of planting materials to be imported for the specific purposes stated in Section 1a of this Administrative Order |
c) | design and implementation of appropriate training programs |
d) | minimum requirements for personnel and facilities |
e) | all necessary and appropriate coordination and monitoring to effectively implement this Administrative Order |
The BPI-PQS shall ensure that the aforementioned activities are in line with the provisions of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (IS PM) of the IPPC. The activities shall also be guided by pertinent provisions and guidelines of the Regional Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (RSPM) of the APPPC.
SECTION 3. Rubber plants, seedlings, cuttings or budsticks, rubber stumps, or seeds of said plant imported in contravention of the provisions of this Order shall be seized by the BPI Director or his authorized representatives and shall be subjected to any of the following actions:
a) | immediately returned to the country or place of origin, or |
b) | completely destroyed, or |
c) | treated in the premises where initially unloaded in a manner deemed appropriate for the purpose by the BPI Director |
The cost of implementing these actions shall be borne by the importer.
SECTION 4. Any person, firm, association or corporation who violates or contravenes any of the provisions of this Administrative Order shall be liable to prosecution and upon conviction shall suffer the penalty provided in P.D. 1433.
SECTION 5. This Administrative Order supersedes and revokes all Orders inconsistent herewith and shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation as required by law.
Recommending Approval:
(SGD.) CLARITO M. BARON, PhD, CESO IV
Director, Bureau of Plant Industry
Approved:
(SGD.) PROCESO J. ALCALA
Secretary