CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City Veterinarian office seized Thursday dawn at least 100 kilograms of imported meat at the Tabunok Public Market.
Santiago Hortel, acting Talisay City Veterinarian, said the operation was in response to the order issued by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, which indicated that all imported meat cuts with no storage area or freezer to keep it preserved should be seized.
Hortel said meat should not be placed in buckets even if these loaded up with ice.
Buckets with ice cannot guarantee that the meat will remain frozen.
Once the meat cuts become soft, bacteria could come in. These meat cuts are reportedly imported from Canada and Brazil.
The veterinarian said all imported meat should be placed in freezers with a 10-degree centigrade temperature.
The seized products, believed to be worth more than P5,000, were from five vendors inside the market, Hortel said.
The seized meat was burned at the back area of the city's slaughterhouse in barangay Biasong since this was no longer fit for consumption.
Imported meat is selling like hot cakes in the province because it is cheaper than the local meat.
Before the yuletide season, each kilo was between P70 to P80, but rose to P100, but still cheaper than the local meat's P170. (FREEMAN NEWS)