VZCZCXRO0795
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #0913/01 1181059
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 281059Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3948
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 000913 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BANGKOK FOR HOWELL HOWARD AND WINSTON BOWMAN 
STATE PASS USAID 
STATE PASS HHS/NIH 
STATE PASS HHS/CDC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO SENV KSCA AMGT RP
SUBJECT: PHILIPPINES' INITIAL RESPONSE TO SWINE FLU THREAT 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: While no swine flu cases have been reported in the 
Philippines, the government is taking steps to increase protective 
measures and raise its alert level for possible outbreaks.  On April 
28, the Secretary of National Defense told the Ambassador the 
government viewed the situation with "utmost seriousness" and was 
taking a range of protective measures.  He welcomed Ambassador's 
offer to provide the latest public health and public affairs 
information available to Post.  Philippine health authorities do not 
currently intend to issue any travel bans, but said they plan to 
institute thermal screening of arriving air passengers and have 
designated possible quarantine hospitals in case flu victims are 
identified.  The Embassy held an emergency preparedness meeting to 
ensure close coordination among Mission elements and with U.S. 
military forces currently in country, and distributed information to 
staff and posted links on its website for U.S. citizens.  The 
Philippine Department of Agriculture is preparing to ban U.S. pork 
in spite of U.S. Department of Agriculture proof that eating pork 
does not cause the flu.  END SUMMARY. 
 
GOVERNMENT RAMPING UP EFFORTS 
----------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) While taking part April 28 in events in the Bicol region 
associated with this year's Balikatan bilateral military exercise, 
the Ambassador and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto 
Teodoro discussed the swine flu outbreak and both governments' 
initial steps to deal with the problem.  Teodoro, who chairs the 
government's National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), told the 
Ambassador that although there were no reported swine flu cases in 
the Philippines, the government was taking recent outbreaks of flu 
in Mexico and elsewhere with utmost seriousness and implementing a 
range of protective measures.  He said he would be returning to 
Manila to chair an emergency meeting of the NDCC and report to the 
Cabinet and President on the results of his coordination efforts. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador briefed Secretary Teodoro on U.S. mitigation 
and control efforts, and the Secretary welcomed the Ambassador's 
offer to provide the most recent public health and public affairs 
information and fact sheets available to the Mission to assist the 
NDCC with its planning.  Mission has passed that information along 
to the NDCC and Teodoro's personal staff. 
 
POST PREPAREDNESS 
----------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) A/DCM convened a meeting April 28 of key Mission elements 
involved in health issues, public affairs, American citizen 
outreach, and agricultural issues to ensure Mission's internal 
preparedness for any potential outbreak of influenza and to evaluate 
the Philippines' initial response to the swine flu outbreak. 
 
¶5. (SBU) USAID health officers reported on their discussions with 
the Philippine Department of Health, and Manila-based officials of 
the World Health Organization and U.S. Centers for Disease Control. 
The Department of Health issued prevention measures, and set up 
reporting protocols and telephone hotlines.  The Philippine 
government does not have a travel ban in place, but is collecting 
health declaration cards from travelers.  Officials said they plan 
to use thermal scans on passengers arriving from affected countries, 
but no such measures were yet evident at Manila's international 
airport.  Three Manila hospitals with isolation rooms have been 
designated as treatment centers in case of an outbreak. 
 
POST PREPAREDNESS 
----------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Post's medical unit reported that adequate stocks of 
Tamiflu and Relanza are on hand for Mission personnel and family 
members and local staff if an outbreak were to occur.  The medical 
unit has reviewed treatment plans and protocols for the Mission, and 
ensured that flu testing kits are available.  Mission Peace Corps 
personnel reported that all Volunteers in the Philippines have 
Tamiflu medication in their emergency medical kits in case of any 
outbreaks here.  Mission's regional medical officer will maintain 
close contact with U.S. military medical officers serving the 
members of Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines in the 
southern Philippines, as well as some 6,000 U.S. military personnel 
taking part in the Balikatan military exercise to ensure they are 
fully informed of the USG response to the swine flu outbreak. 
 
PUBLIC INFORMATION OUTREACH 
--------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Post disseminated flu facts and prevention information to 
Mission members, and asked all members to report to the Health Unit 
 
MANILA 00000913  002 OF 002 
 
 
if they exhibit flu symptoms.  The American Citizen Services section 
has also posted information and links on the Embassy website for 
resident and visiting American citizens. 
 
POSSIBLE BAN ON U.S. PORK 
------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Philippines' Secretary of Agriculture announced on 
April 26 he would issue an order to ban all imports of U.S. pork and 
pork products because of a purported swine flu threat.  Post 
stressed to Philippine agriculture and health officials that 
properly handled and cooked pork products would not transmit swine 
flu, and the Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry acknowledged this 
fact.  Still, political and public relations considerations may 
outweigh scientific fact on this issue. 
 
NEXT STEPS 
---------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Post's interagency pandemic preparedness task force will 
meet on April 29 to further assess how protocols and plans developed 
for possible avian influenza outbreaks could be employed in the 
current situation. 
 
KENNEY