Maintaining a bird flu free Philippines: emphasis on conservation issues safeguarding birds from the potential impacts of avian influenza

Growing worldwide concern on a potential bird flu pandemic had sprung from continued spread and rising number of human facilities caused by the virulent H5N1 strain of Avian Influenza. The hazardous pathogen was previously known to have caused catastrophic pandemics to both avian and human hosts, but now recognized for amplified threats from its high virulence and elusive cure. Health organizations currently addressed impacts on human health, such as prevention using vaccines, eradication of infected-hosts, measures for containment and widespread information campaigns. A global scheme focused on awareness for effects of poultry products and other sources of infection like cock-fighting, pet trade and migratory birds. In the Philippines, collaboration between government agencies implemented safety nets for key economic issues of an avian influenza outbreak and its medical importance, with national forums delegated by health officers, virologists, veterinarians, farmers, and environmental scientists. This paper addresses the serious concerns for wild birds directly affected by these perilous diseases, putting emphasis on potential risks to threatened endemic species and their impacts to rescue programs, eco-tourism and ornithological research. Apparently, migratory birds were blamed for the global spread of this virus and studies done between the Philippines and adjacent infected countries valued the importance of the East Asian Flyway. Ironically, bird flu became an unlikely flagship for biodiversity conservation, promoting active national cooperation through increased vigilance to illegal wildlife trade, strict implementation of quarantine and animal welfare, and imposing the Wildlife Act to safeguard both avian and human health. Local issues were discussed on the nation's preparedness from a pending outbreak, and reasons maintaining a bird flu free country, and the influence of ornithology in tropical medicine. Several theories contributing to the current absence of the harmful strain of H5N1, in the Philippines were enumerated, including geographic isolation as a protective barrier to seasonal movements of migrants and confines sick birds. Rampant hunting and habitat loss by impoverished coastal or uplands communities also limits the extent of its prospective host population. Transfer was also minimized among inherently restricted-range birds and endemic forest specialists. Scenarios were identified that would allow entry of bird flu in the Philippines, and pointing out limiting factors that can also magnify their deleterious outcome. Thus, stressing the importance of monitoring wildlife trade and poultry health, along with the development of impact assessments and effective educational campaigns to avoid paranoia. Subsequently, this bird flu pandemic can augment current conservation problems such as the probable decline of montane birds, island-endemic and migrants, already threatened by continued persecution and habitat loss. This paper highlights the importance of national initiatives maintaining a bird flu-free Philippines, using lessons learned from Hong Kong and Hawaii. Protocols accentuate reduced risk of entry, employ precautionary measures from an outbreak and stress the significance of public awareness. Hopefully, the concepts presented here could serve as a basis for strengthening management plans and conservation programs for threatened endemic and migratory Philippine birds.