Pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Code of 1987, Act No. 3639, Sections 2 and 3 of Act No. 2172, DOF-DBM Joint Circular No. 2-94, and Animal Industry Administrative Order No. 7, series of 1995, the following guidelines and schedule of fees are hereby prescribed for the guidance and observance of all concerned:

SECTION 1.       Objectives and Scope. — It is the aim of this guidelines to properly register and license all livestock handlers in the Philippines who are engaged in inter-provincial and regional shipment or transportation of livestock and poultry, with end in view of maintaining disease free areas and achieving safe, clean and orderly handling of commodities through the various stages of marketing or distribution channels.

SECTION 2.       Classification: Persons Covered. — Any person or business entity falling under the following occupations who is engaged in or wishing to engage in the business of inter-provincial or regional handling, transportation or distribution of livestock and poultry must be duly registered and licensed, to wit:

A.    Livestock/Poultry Dealer (LPD)
B.    Livestock/Poultry Carrier (LPC)
C.   Egg Handler/Dealer (EHD)
D.   Milk Handler/Dealer (MHD)
E.    Hide and Skin Handler/Dealer (HSHD)
F.    Manure/Dung Dealer (MDD)

Definition of Terms:

a.      Licensing — permission granted by authority to engage in a business or occupation or in an activity otherwise unlawful.

b.      Registration — the act of securing official entry in a register/record book.

c.       Livestock/Poultry Dealer (LPD) — means one engaged in the buy and sell of slaughter stock from the livestock or poultry producer to the meat dealer.

d.      Livestock/Poultry Carrier (LPC) — means one engaged in the business of transporting livestock or poultry from seller to buyer either for a fee or as an integral part of the operations either the seller or the buyer.

e.      Milk Handler/Dealer (MHD) — means one engaged in the distribution of wholesome milk from dairy farms to various milk processing plants and/or from the processing plants to retail outlets.

f.        Egg Handler/Dealer (EHD) — means one engaged in the distribution of wholesome eggs from poultry farms to various retail outlets such as markets, hotels and restaurants, etc.

g.      Hide and Skin Handler/Dealer (HSHD) — means one engaged in the wholesome buying and selling of hides and skin from locally slaughtered/butchered animals.

h.       Manure/Dung Dealer (MDD) — means one engaged in wholesome buying and selling or manure of livestock and dung of poultry.

SECTION 3.       Where to Apply. — Registration and Licensing of Livestock, Poultry, Milk, Eggs, Hides and Skin and Manure and Dung Handlers shall be handled by the Marketing Development Division of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) for those situated in Metro Manila Area and by the concerned Livestock Division of the different Regional Field Units of the Department of Agriculture (DA-RFU) for those situated in the regions.

SECTION 4.       Requirements on Application. — Along with the completed and duly notarized application form as may be prescribed by the Bureau of Animal Industry, each person/entity applying for handlers license shall submit a copy of the following papers:

a.      CORPORATIONS — either Articles of Incorporation or registration papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

b.      PARTNERSHIP — either registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission or registration with the Bureau of Domestic Trade or papers legally establishing the partnership.

c.       SINGLE PROPRIETORSHIP — either registration with the Bureau of Domestic Trade or registration with the municipality/city in which they operate.

SECTION 5.       Essential Requirements Before Approval of Application. — Applicants must undergo a short seminar/lecture to be conducted by the Marketing Development Division, Animal Health Division, Animal Products Development Center of the Bureau of Animal Industry and the National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC) regarding proper handling of animals and meat; equipment and transport vehicles; control during shipment and other responsibilities attached to the license.

In the regions, seminar/lecture shall be conducted by the Livestock Division of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit in coordination with the Bureau of Animal Industry.

SECTION 6.       Issuance of License and Certificate of Registration. — upon approval of the application, the corresponding license and certificate of registration shall be issued by the Director of BAI and in the regions, all applications will be processed by the Livestock Division of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit and forwarded to the Bureau of Animal Industry for approval by the Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry.

The license and certificate of registration are non-transferable and the license or a copy thereof shall be in possession of the person carrying the official duties for the license. That the said person is only authorized to operate in the specified areas approved in the application.

SECTION 7.       Payment of Fees. — The applicant shall pay registration and license fees in accordance with the following schedule:

a. Registration including certificate -	50.00
b. Issuance of License -	50.00
c. Seminar Fee -	100.00
TOTAL -	200.00

In case the registration and licensing handled by the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit, fee collected shall be remitted to the Cashier’s Office, Bureau of Animal Industry, Visayas, Diliman, Quezon City, at the close of each month.

SECTION 8.       Renewal and Revocation of License. — The license is valid for one year only and application for renewal should be at least one month prior to the expiration date of license.

Likewise, the license may be revoked for violation of the Bureau of Animal Industry rules and regulations or guidelines and at any time if the interest of the government so requires.

SECTION 9.       Monitoring of Registrants and Licenses. — For purposes of monitoring, the Marketing Development Division of the Bureau of Animal Industry shall prepare a list of livestock, poultry, milk, and handlers, manure/dung dealer so registered and licensed at the close of each month.

In the same manner, the Livestock Division of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit shall send a report of their respective transactions to the Bureau of Animal Industry at the close of each month.

SECTION 10.     Criminal Penalty. — Any person who ships or transport livestock, poultry, milk, eggs, hides and skin, manure and dung and their by-products as a business without the required above mentioned license; or who with or without license buys or derives for shipment or transport any livestock, poultry, milk, eggs, hides and skin, manure and dung and their by-products knowing fully well that a dangerous communicable animal disease is present in the farm, establishment or other sources and fails to notify the Department of Agriculture/Bureau of Animal Industry authorities shall suffer the penalty or fine for not more than One Year, or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the Court.

SECTION 11.     Repealing Clause. — All rules and regulations or portions thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12.     Effectivity. — This Circular shall take effect immediately after publication in a newspaper of general circulation and filing three (3) copies thereof with the U.P. Law Center.

Adopted: 8 Jan. 1997