CEBU, Philippines - Are butchers slaughtering hogs outside the Cebu City abbatoir?
Some residents of Barangay Lorega-San Miguel are saying so – that slaughtering is being undertaken either at the center island or the sidewalk of the New Imus Road owing to the ongoing renovation works at the facility at the North Reclamation Area.
The city is fixing the abbatoir’s waste water treatment system.
City Veterinarian Pilar Romero said she did not allow such and promised to send meat inspectors to verify the residents’ complaint.
City Health Officer Daisy Villa said slaughtering of food animals for commercial purposes outside the designated abbatoir is strictly prohibited by law and must be stopped.
Mayor Michael Rama also assured to look into the report.
“That is unhygienic, unhealthy. Kun ang ihaw para na gani sa commercial purposes, dili na kana mahimo nga anha diha,” he told The Freeman.
A butcher from Barangay Lorega-San Miguel told The Freeman: “Kun adto ‘sab mi magpaihaw sa Mandaue ug bisan sa Consolacion, dili man ‘sab sila mosugot nga ibilin didto sa ila ang mga hugaw kun ari namo ibaligya ang mga karne sa Cebu City. Mao na nga mapugos na lang kami nga anhi na lang mag-ihaw sa daplin sa karsada.”
The law provides that meat inspectors are tasked to conduct on- the-spot or surprise inspection or examination of meat products at any time, day or night.
The ongoing renovation works has also prompted the city to suspend slaughtering of hogs weighing below 50 kilos at the abbatoir
Romero said meat dealers in the city have been advised to bring their hogs below 50 kilos to private abbatoirs while renovation of the city’s slaughterhouse is ongoing.
The slaughterhouse is owned by the city government but is located on a lot, which is part of Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City. A few weeks ago, inspectors from Mandaue have found the abbatoir as unsanitary.
Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes also sent a letter to Mayor Rama directing the Cebu City government to follow the law by paying the required fees for permits and to have the abbatoir’s waste water treatment system fixed.
Cortes reminded the mayor that allowing the waste water and other internal organs of the slaughtered animals to flow directly to the Mahiga Creek violates environmental laws. This prompted Romero and the rest manning the abbatoir to suspend slaughtering.
“Kun unsay anaa sa balaod ato na nga tumanon,” Rama said.
Aside from the slaughtering process, meat dealers are also allegedly using vehicles that are not accredited as meat transport vehicles. — Rene U. Borromeo/JMO (FREEMAN)