CH appeals to DENR on closure of abattoir

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has threatened to close the Cebu City slaughterhouse at the North Reclamation Area (NRA) if they continue throwing wastes into the Mahiga creek and violating environmental laws.

Dr. Pilar Romero, acting head of the City Hall’s Department of Veterinary Medicines and Fisheries (DVMF), said they are always appealing to the DENR officials to still give them a chance to operate until they can build another abattoir.

“Sigi lang g’yud tawon mi og hangyo nga dili lang unta sirad-an ang atong ihawan kay mag-unsa na man lang tawon ta kon ilang tak-opan ang abattoir. (We keep on requesting for them not to close our abattoir),” Romero told the City Hall reporters yesterday.

What used to be the Cebu City Modern Abattoir (CCMA) which was constructed sometime in the 1980s has been categorized as the best abattoir in Central Visayas in that decade but years later, the category was downgraded.

It was later found out that the abattoir, which stands on the lot already part of Mandaue City, is directly throwing their wastes into the creek instead of first passing through a waste water treatment facility.

“Hugaw man g’yud tinuod kay ang waste gikan sa ihawan diritso ra man kini nga moadto sa dagat. (The waste from the abattoir is truly dirty and goes directly to the sea),” Romero said.

Mayor Michael Rama is happy that the issue has been brought up by Romero, who only became city veterinarian last July 1 after the mayor reassigned former city veterinarian Alice Utlang to another post.

Rama is wondering why the abattoir did not use the waste water sewerage facility which is situated just about 50 meters away from the slaughterhouse.

The mayor said closing the abattoir will not completely solve the problem that is why he will look into the matter.

“Maayo na nga na-brought up na kay mao man na ang atong priority to restore what has been destroyed and we will have to establish what practically are needed, tan-awon g’yud nato na,” Rama said.

Romero said over 200 hogs are slaughtered everyday at the city’s slaughterhouse, aside from the 60 to 65 large animals like carabaos, cows and horses, and dozens of goats.

If the DENR will make true its threat to close the abattoir, the meat dealers will be forced to go to other public and private slaughterhouses.

The City Council had approved a P30 million allocation in the 2013 annual budget for the city abattoir, but it was not used because the city is also trying to have a public-private-partnership (PPP) for the construction of a new abattoir.

With that scheme, the private company will be the one to build the slaughterhouse and operate it for 25 years. They will also be the ones collecting the fees. When the contract ends, they will turn over the building and the facility to the city.  (FREEMAN)