The Philippines will shortly have the vaccine against Avian Influenza to help boost the nation's poultry sector, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday.

During an inauguration of the San Miguel megapoultry farm in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur, Marcos said the Avian Flu vaccine could help reduce agricultural diseases that can hurt food production in the Philippines.

"There is now a vaccine available for Avian Influenza (…) It seems to be effective, so we will buy it to provide to reduce the number of birds being culled due to Avian Flu," Marcos said.

The US Department of Agriculture defines avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, as a respiratory disease caused by influenza A viruses.

Marcos has already mentioned earlier this year that the Philippines is acquiring avian influenza vaccines.

"We are also making progress in our procurement of avian influenza vaccines, with the (Bureau of Animal Industry) calling for manufacturers to register their products with the FDA while the guidelines to administer the same are being finalized," Marcos said during the opening ceremony of the Livestock Philippines 2023 last July.

"And as it stands, the Philippine FDA is on track to issue a certificate of product registration for these vaccines while Phase Two trials are underway," Marcos added.