US embassy cable - 05MANILA5393

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 005393 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/IHA FOR JKAUFMANN 
STATE FOR INR/EAP FOR JSTROTZ 
STATE PASS USDA/FAS/ICD FOR ROSENBLUM 
STATE PASS USDA/FAS/DL&P FOR MAGINNIS 
STATE PASS USDA/FAS/ITP/AA FOR ALEXANDER 
STATE PASS USDA/FAS/FAA FOR HAGER 
STATE PASS USDA/APHIS/IS FOR HOFFMAN 
STATE PASS USDA/APHIS/VS FOR DUVERNOY 
STATE PASS USDA/ARS/SEPRL FOR SUAREZ 
STATE PASS USAID FOR DCARROLL AND ACLEMENTS 
BANGKOK FOR REO JAMES WALLER 
CIA FOR NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE COUNCIL NIO/EA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, PINR, SOCI, EAGR, SENV, TBIO, TSPL, RP 
SUBJECT: TEXT MESSAGE RUMORS SHOW RISING PUBLIC CONCERN 
OVER AVIAN FLU 
 
REF A) MANILA 05291  B) MANILA 05059  C) MANILA 04278 
 
1. This is an information message. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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2.  The Philippines remains free of Highly Pathogenic 
Avian Influenza (HPAI), but recent text message rumors of 
HPAI cases in the Philippines show rising public 
awareness and concern over avian flu.  The GRP faces 
increasing challenges in managing AI information.  The 
Department of Agriculture debunked two recent text 
messages warning of avian flu cases in Negros Occidental 
and Cebu.  The messages suggest public skepticism over 
GRP reporting of AI cases.  As the GRP expands its public 
awareness campaigns, such rumors may become more frequent 
and public information strategies will be increasingly 
important. End Summary 
 
3.  The GRP issued strong statements critical of two 
recent text messages warning of positive avian flu cases 
in Negros Occidental and Cebu.  On November 9, the 
Department of Agriculture (DA) refuted a text message, 
initially circulated on November 5, warning of a positive 
avian flu case in Escalante, Negros Occidental.  DA noted 
that the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) conducted random 
surveillance in October to test poultry for HPAI in the 
Escalante area, but found no evidence of HPAI.  BAI also 
reported that test results from one dead migratory bird 
from Escalante indicated that the bird died of natural 
causes.  The Poultry Growers Association of Negros 
Oriental reported a 40% decline in sales of live poultry 
on the day after the text message circulated.  The group 
estimated the text messages caused 1.2 million pesos 
($200,000) in losses to the Negros poultry industry.  DA 
previously had refuted a similar text message warning 
that two migratory birds had died from avian flu in 
Cogon, Pardo in Cebu.  BAI explained that two local birds 
died from contusions caused by air guns or slingshots. 
 
4.  In responding to both incidents, the GRP underscored 
recent initiatives to raise public awareness of avian flu 
and train regional teams for prevention and preparedness. 
As reported in ref A, the GRP has intensified these 
campaigns during the October-February migratory bird 
season.  President Arroyo appointed the head of the GRP 
mass media group to assist the Avian Flu task force in 
preparing and implementing its communications strategy. 
 
5.  COMMENT: We expect rumors of HPAI cases to increase 
as the GRP and the Philippine media raise public 
awareness of the avian flu threat.  These recent rumors 
demonstrate the economic damage that AI reports can cause 
and underscore the interest of the DA and poultry farmers 
in managing information about suspected AI cases.  As 
reported in ref B, the GRP has a limited surveillance 
capacity and must rely on poultry farmers and public 
cooperation to report possible HPAI cases.  Although the 
text message rumors suggest public concern over GRP's 
ability to handle avian flu, the widespread use of text 
messaging strongly suggests that it would be unlikely for 
an HPAI outbreak to go unnoticed. 
 
JONES