TARLAC CITY, Sept. 14 (PIA) -- United States Disease Threat Reduction Agency (US DTRA) turned over today to Department of Agriculture (DA) the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory III (RADDL III) located inside the Central Luzon Integrated Agriculture Research Center in barangay Paraiso.

In his message, DA Secretary William Dar said RADDL III is timely and relevant especially in Central Luzon.

"This laboratory is timely and really needed here in the region because as you all know, Central Luzon is the most vulnerable in diseases affecting the hog industry," the cabinet official said.

Dar also emphasized the laboratory's vital purpose in ending the African Swine Fever which has affected the industry.

"This will be of great help in combatting the spread of the most dreaded animal disease that paralyzed the country's hog industry for more than a year now," he stressed.

The facility will help protect the poultry and livestock industry for the benefit of farmers, animal raisers and agripreneurs, and consumers in the region.

It will also serve as an important service provider that will support the commerce or trading of poultry and livestock animals for both domestic and export markets.

"This is because the laboratory will provide needed services in terms of disease surveillance, animal health regulatory and research and maybe veterinary students who are taking their clinical studies will also benefit," he said.

In behalf of DTRA, Major Brian Smith said they commit to continue to sit in the development of the Filipino laboratory networks.

"DTRA leadership in Washington DC is continuously signing appraises of the work of orchestrating doctrine across to bring Filipino nation," Smith said.

Moreover, United States Agency for International Development Agricultural Section Representative Morgan Haas lauded the sustaining partnership of the United States and the Philippines in combating diseases.

"We are happy to have you as part of the network in order to assure not only the Philippine Food Security but also the Global Food Security," Haas said.

RADDL III is under the Biological Threat Reduction Program in the Philippines of the USDTRA. (CLJD/GLSB-PIA 3)