Manila, July 10 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday said Cotabato province is now free from the avian influenza or bird flu.

The agency said it issued Memorandum Circular 32 on July 9, restoring the province's disease-free status almost a year after an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain in duck farms in M'lang.

In a statement, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said this demonstrates the joint efforts of both national and local government.

"This declaration is a recognition of that hard work, but it is also a reminder that vigilance and strong farm biosecurity must remain our first line of defense," he said.

The outbreak was effectively contained before a broader threat spread in the province, Tiu Laurel a...