MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) has inaugurated an upgraded P83-million AA slaughterhouse in Iloilo.
The upgrading of the slaughterhouse was funded by a P40-million share from Sen. Franklin Drilon’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), as well as a P31.5-million allocation by the DA under the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF), and the P11.5- million equity of the Iloilo City government.
In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Processo Alcala said the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) would allot an additional P20 million next year to upgrade the slaughterhouse into an AAA abattoir.
The upgraded AA slaughterhouse located in a 1.1-hectare complex in Barangay Tacas, Jaro, Iloilo City, is equipped with a set of modern mechanized slaughtering and cutting equipment, 50-ton cold storage facility, waste water filtration system, holding pen and meat delivery van.
The facility has the capacity to process up to 50 heads of large animals (cattle, horse and carabao), 400 heads of hogs, and 60 heads of small ruminants (goat and sheep).
Alcala encouraged Iloilo farmers, livestock raisers, and meat traders to maximize the use of the upgraded slaughterhouse to strengthen the meat industry in the province.