Swarms of flies pester Asturias residents

CEBU, Philippines – Residents of Barangay Langub in Asturias town have expressed infuriation over the swarms of flies that have gravitated to the barangay reportedly because of the presence of a poultry farm in the area.

The swarms of flies have reportedly inconvenienced and worried the residents these past several months.

Asturias is located some 80 kilometers west of Cebu City.

Prosper Awit, 57, said the flies would flock the barangay practically every month, as the farm harvests every after 28 days.

He said truck that ferries the chickens out of the farm attracts the flies and swarms travel with it and even go to the houses along the way.

“Alibango kaayo ba… kung matulog ta o naa's kan-anan grabi gyud. Mangilog man gani sa kape, kung magtanga-tanga ka sunod nimong mainom langaw na," Awit said.

Another resident, Amalik Gutierrez, 27, shares Awit’s sentiments.

"Ah, grabeha, bisa'g gabii ang langaw adto lagi mobatog sa duyan sa akong anak, paspasan lang gud namo og maayo," Gutierrez said.

Julita Lacaba, 49, who lives just a kilometer away from the poultry farm, said she could no longer bear the presence of the flies that she had to cut a mosquito net in pieces so she could cover the kiosk where she stays.

"Ako na lang gyung giguba ang moskit akong gitaod sa kiosko kay grabe gyud ang langaw. Saputon ko madugay sige og tan-aaw sa langaw," Lacaba said.

She suspects that the flies may have something to do with the death of her piglets and chickens.

An attendant of a bakery shared the flies were so many the past months that it was difficult to shoo them away.

Ping Rosaut, owner of a sari-sari store and an eatery, said they were forced to throw food away because the flies would usually manage to land on them despite efforts to drive them away because of their number.

They had to throw the food away for fear that the flies may have brought germs that could cause diseases.

Rosaut said the presence of the flies alone could drive customers away.

"Kung naay langaw, ako lang iyabo ang sud-an… usahay lagi naay mopalit diri kanang maagi ra moingon nga nganong daghan ma'g langaw," Rosaut said.

Response

Residents have vented their frustrated out on social media over the barangay officials’ seeming inaction to the situation but Councilman Mark Lugay, chairman of the committee on health, said the barangay has actually called the attention of the poultry farm’s owner.

"Among gihangop ang pagpadangat sa mga concerned na lumolupyo sa atong barangay ang mahitungod sa pagdaghan sa mga langaw sa atong komunidad. Pareho ninyo, kami sa Konseho nahisagmuyo usab sa sitwasyon. Usa kini ka dakung disturbo sa atong mga tagsa-tagsa ka panimalay ug pamilya," his Facebook post reads.

On July 2015, after assessment, the council identified the poultry farm as possible breeding grounds of the flies.

The FREEMAN is withholding the name of the farm in the absence of a statement from management.

"Niining higayuna, nahibaluan sa konseho na sulod na sa usa ka tuig na wala magpagawas og mga chicken dung ang poultry farm kay naa silay pribadong kompanya nga ilang gibayran nga mao ang mo-kolekta sa mga iti ug dad-on sa siyudad," Lugay’s post reads further.

The council reportedly identified another possible breeding ground, the Asturias Oval, where chicken wastes are reportedly being dumped in certain areas. It is uncertain where the chicken wastes come from but some residents say they are from other poultry farms even outside the town.

Assessment revealed that the chicken dung that is exposed to sun and rain attracts flies.

The facility is owned by the town.

Lugay said the barangay council has passed a resolution asking the municipality to take action.

"Gipatambakan na sa munisipyo og anapog ang Asturias Oval para tabunan ang nagkatag na mga iti," his Facebook post reads.

Awit said a signature campaign is ongoing for the provincial government to act on their concern further because the chemicals given to them to kill the flies did not solve the problem. The chemicals came from Capitol personnel who inspected the barangay last month.

"Gitagaan mi og medisina nga ibutang sa plastic kung makasuyop ang langaw mamatay, pero ang dili makasuyop sige lang gihapon og lupad-lupad," Awit said.

Lacaba said that if she were to decide, she would have the poultry farm closed.

"Sila may naghimo sa ilang negosyo, sila maoy mosulbad. Kami naman hinuon ang nag-antos," she said. —/JMO (FREEMAN)