Slaughtered meat from Iloilo City ‘below standards’
The Iloilo city government failed to comply with the requirements set by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) for its “double A” abattoir in Brgy. Tacas, Jaro. Such failure has prevented local meat producers from shipping their products to other parts of the country.
The NMIS through its Accreditation Registration Inspection Service has notified the city government since December 2006 of the basic facilities required for a “double A” slaughterhouse.
Among the basic requirements for a “doubleA” slaughterhouse are the hand washing and foot bath facility for the entrance and exit of the building, scalding vat for the cattle area, lockers for the butchers, division area which separates the clean and dirty area for slaughtered animals and canal covered material.
The establishment of a hand washing and foot bath facilities are necessary to maintain cleanliness and spread of sickness in animals like the foot and mouth disease.
Mayor Jerry Treñas was not available for comment over the city’s failure to comply with the requirements for a “double A” abattoir as of press time.
Because of the deficiency local meat producers have to look for alternative,like the Passi City abattoir, to have their animals slaughtered. Passi City abattoir has met the requirements set by the NMIS.
Earlier, Treñas said the city government has already gained millions of pesos out of the revenues collected from the operation of the new slaughterhouse although its cattle line has yet to be installed.
The mayor even wants to upgrade the standard of the slaughterhouse from “double A” to “triple A” with the installation of a blast freezer as additional facility. The installation of a blast freezer will address the needs of the shippers and all the companies involved in meat processing business. Only to know, the city has not even completed the required facilities for a “double A” slaughterhouse.
The construction of the multi-million slaughterhouse was funded by the Department of Agriculture (DA). The city government provided the lot for the slaughterhouse. The department has yet to release the P10 million fund for the installation of a cattle line.