DIRTY ABATTOIR
City veterinarian pushes for slaughterhouse closure

By Maricar M. Calubiran

City Veterinarian Tomas Forteza will recommend to Mayor Jerry Treñas the closure of the city's slaughterhouse in Molo district due to unsanitary butchering procedures.

Forteza said he would discuss his recommendation to the mayor as soon as the latter arrives from Canada this week.
He said at present the slaughterhouse is already dilapidated and there appears to be unsanitary procedures in slaughtering cattle and swine. He said, with the absence of modern slaughtering facilities the animals are merely slaughtered on the floor.

He added the persons tasked to maintain cleanliness on the slaughterhouse fail to do their job despite constant reminders.
Forteza said the butchers could have maintained sanitation inside the facility in spite of its poor condition.

Forteza added that the butchers do not observe the required schedule of slaughtering  animals. He said the proper schedule is from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. but butchers start their work as early as 9 p.m. and end as far as  5 in the morning.

He said this practice entails additional expenses for the city since the butchers have to use more firewood to keep the scalding bath boiling. The city buys the firewood.
There are also people who steal the firewood for their personal use, added Forteza.

It was learned that a new city slaughterhouse is being constructed in Brgy. Tacas, Jaro but it would still be long before it could be completed.

The city government is still looking for additional P12.5 million to complete the new abattoir.
Forteza said the new slaughterhouse which is of “AA” standard costs a total of P25 million.

Forteza explained his recommendation to close down the Molo slaughterhouse is to protect the consumers as well as the meat industry and not to destroy it. We want to make sure that all meat products coming from the slaughterhouse are clean and properly inspected.

Forteza said in the meantime traders could use the slaughterhouses of Passi and Leganes both of which are of “AA” standards.
Passi is 59 kilometers east of Iloilo City while Leganes is 10 kilometers away from the city proper.