The Philippine will rely on biosecurity and quarantine protocols to protect Philippine agriculture from pest and diseases that may threaten the country with the implementation and effectively of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement-Common Effective Preferential Tariff (AFTA-CEPT). Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla said that President Arroyo issued the directive during a recent Cabinet meeting. "In line with the efforts of the department to strengthen our quarantine and inspection measures on agriculture and fishery products entering our borders, the effectivity of the President's directive will efficiently protect the country from the entry of agricultural and fishery pests and diseases as well as other human and environmental threats," Fondevilla said.

Go, M. V. (2010, March 25). DA to use quarantine measures to prevent entry of pests, diseases. The Philippine Star, p. B-10.