Vendors selling "hot meat" face revocation of contracts

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Market Administrator Raquel Arce has threatened to revoke the contracts of market vendors who will be caught selling “hot meat”.

Arce yesterday met with more than 150 meat vendors in Carbon public market and told them to police their ranks as she warned that their licenses for the use of market stalls will be revoked if they sell “hot meat.”

“Hot meat” refers to meat products sold to the public without first subjecting them to inspection to determine whether they are fit for human consumption.

Arce admitted that she was so ashamed after 154 kilos of hot meat were confiscated by meat inspectors while these are being displayed for sale inside the Carbon public market last week.

“Gikauwaw g’yud nako ang maong hitabo. Unsay may ikasulti ni Mayor Mike Rama nga gihatagan gani ko niya og award apan nasakmitan hinoon og hot meat ang Carbon market? (I was so ashamed over the incident. What will Mayor Mike Rama say? He gave me an award and now hot meat was confiscated in Carbon Market?),” Arce told the meat vendors.

She challenged the meat vendors to help run after those who are engaged in illegal activities like selling “double dead” meat products.

Arce said she will recommend for the revocation of the contract between the city and those concerned vendors caught selling the confiscated hot meat and said that they will no longer be given another chance to occupy stalls in public markets.

Arce also warned vendors from selling carabao and horse meat by making the customers believe that these are beef after one vendors reportedly admitted that some of their colleagues are doing this to gain more.

“Dili man hinoon kana makadaut nga kan-on ang karne sa kabayo ug kabaw apan alkanse man gud ang customer kay momahal man ang presyo kon ipatoo nga karne sa baka ang ilang gipalit (It is not harmful to eat horse and carabao meat but customers are cheated because beef costs more)”, market supervisor Salvador Doctor said.

Arce said she will also recommend for the revocation of contract for those who will be caught violating of the Consumers Act of the Philippines.

She also warned the meat vendors from using defective weighing scales.

“Kon masakpan gani nako nga dili kamo mohunong sa inyong mga binuang, mapugos g’yud ko paghimo og lakang nga kinahanglang digital na ang timbangan nga inyong gamiton, (If I find out that you will not stop these illegal practices, I will be forced to require you to use digital weighing scales.)” Arce warned.

Most of the meat vendors are against the use of digital weighing scales because these are costly compared to the clock-type weighing scales.  (FREEMAN)