Council to probe ihawan, markets

SOURCE: The Daily Guardian

A BUTCHER processes butchered at the Iloilo City slaughterhouse in Jaro district. (Photo courtesy of Ariel Castañeda)

THE poor condition of the Iloilo City slaughterhouse and markets exposes the public to health hazards, according to Councilor Armand Parcon.

In a privilege speech during their regular session on Tuesday, Parcon called for an inquiry in aid of legislation into the sorry state of the markets and slaughterhouse.

Parcon particularly pointed out the condition of the multimillion-peso slaughterhouse which has yet to secure a certification from the national government.

“There is a mismanagement and others are even working without job orders. Many personnel indi kasarang kay mano-mano ang ubra,” Parcon said.

Due to poor structural and technical facilities, the city slaughterhouse, which caters to around 150 hogs and 20 large animals every day, lacks certification of standards issued by the Department of Agriculture through the National Meat Inspection Service.

Parcon said the manual operations have resulted in delays in the delivery of meat to public markets.

The limited operations in the slaughterhouse also caused the proliferation of “hot meat” which are likely to be contaminated.

Parcon said some meat suppliers resort to backyard slaughtering instead of using the abattoir. Some suppliers even butcher their livestock on riverbanks.

“Ang gina-ubra sang supplier pa-ihaw sila lima ka bilog para matatakan kag ang 20 gina-ihaw sa backyard so ang resulta is botcha ukon hot meat. And even sa kilid suba, which is one kilometer away from the slaughterhouse, may ara man da ga-ihaw,” Parcon said.

The mediaman-turned-councilor said the city government should hire more competent workers to ensure efficient operations of the slaughterhouse.

“Ang task force hot meat gin-ako nila nga wala sila solid accomplishment meaning ineffective sila. We also need to revisit the ordinance kay indi kahulag ang LEEO (Local Economic Enterprise Office),” he noted.

Earlier, LEEO chief Ariel Castañeda said he wants a review and amendments to the 9-year old Iloilo City Market and Slaughterhouse Code of 2009, which governs the operations and maintenance of the slaughterhouse, in order to comply with evolving standards.

“There should really be a review of the relevance of the ordinance based on the present needs. Aside from the Meat Safety Act, we need to incorporate environmental compliance as well as climate change adaptation. We have to incorporate all these in the new ordinance,” he said.

Castañeda also said that the master plan for the slaughterhouse, which will cost at least P150 million, was already submitted by the City Engineering Office.

The City Council adopted Parcon’s resolution calling for a probe on the slaughterhouse and public markets.

More or less P83 million has been spent on the construction and upgrading of the slaughterhouse.

In 2012, the upgrading works were funded by P40 million from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) share of Sen. Franklin Drilon, P31.5 million from the DA’s Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF), and another P11.5 million from the Iloilo City government.

But despite the massive spending, the city abattoir has yet to secure certification from the NMIS.

Under Executive Order No. 137, the NMIS shall (based on established standards for production, plans, designs, and specifications) classify and accredit slaughterhouses in accordance with the following:

“AAA” Those with facilities and operational procedures appropriate to slaughter livestock and fowls for sale in any market, domestic or international.

“AA” Those with facilities and operational procedures sufficiently adequate that the livestock and fowls slaughtered therein are suitable for sale in any market domestic or international.