Airport quarantine regulations and interception of agricultural crops

By virtue of Presidential Decree o. 1433, entitled 'Promulgating and Plant Quarantine Law of 1978, thereby Revising and Consolidating Existing Plant Quarantine Laws to further Improve and Strengthen the Plant Quarantine Service (PQS) of the Bureau of Plant Industry', Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)-Plant Quarantine Service was strengthened by adequate updated laws, regulations, resources and facilities to monitor and control the movement of plant pests and diseases. Since then, it aims to protect Philippine agriculture by preventing the introduction of new pests and its further spread. (http://www.pqs.da.gov.ph/index.php/about-us). One of the PQS offices is at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) which provides progressive reports on the confiscation and interception of imported plants and plant products being carried by passengers at the said airport. The PQS-NAIA comprises the three international airport terminals and domestic airport continuously take part in protecting the entry of insect pest and diseases that may pose harm in our agricultural industry. As per DA AO No. 18, Series of 2000 of SPS, plants and plant products that have no phytosanity permit and Plant Quarantine clearances are subject for inspection and examination for any suspected pest and diseases that might pose harm to the Philippine agricultural crops. The plant materials that were intercepted at the airport are examined then segregated as per sample found to have been infested with insect pest or infected with any microorganism such as fungi, bacteria and nematode. After which, random sampling for isolation and identification with designated code was placed in a polypropylene plastic with a double zip lock. Diagnosis begins with careful observation of all parts of the diseased plants and plant products. Symptoms of disease causing organisms that cause damage to the plant tissues are carefully recorded in a notebook and in photographs using a digital camera. Identification of pathogen is done by mounting the suspected diseased plant tissues in glass slides and observing under light microscopy. Plant materials that were examined with the presence of insect pest are collected and placed in a vial with 70% ethanol. Plants associated with growth media, plant debris and soil dislodged during the laboratory examination, and plant products that were found to be infested with pest are subject for disposal in a designated compost pit of BPI. Due to none compliance of Plant Quarantine documents for the incoming passengers at the airport, the volume of intercepted plants and plant products brought by 1,016 passengers was gradually increasing from January to December 2011. A total number 1,942 plant samples were examined consisting of 23 associated plant disease organisms and 15 insect pests for fruits commodities. On the other hand, intercepted vegetable commodities registered a total number of 8 associated micro organisms and none for the insect pest. Seeds intercepted for use as planting materials recorded four seed borne pathogens and four insect pests. The country with the highest percentage of pest identified and interrupted is Thailand amounting to 23%, next is China with 22% and the least is Malaysia with 2%. The month with the highest percent volume per month of intercepted commodities is May with 16%, the next is July with 15% and the least is January with 2%. The month with the highest pest interception occurred in May with 15%, in August with 14% and the least pest interception is January with 1%. The increase of volume of interception was brought about by the vigilance of airport plant quarantine inspectors in close coordination with the custom officials. Volume of intercepted commodities is directly proportional to the pests that were found and identified.