ILOILO CITY — The city government needs at least PHP100 million to 150 million to rehabilitate the slaughterhouse in Tacas, Jaro.
Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) head Ariel Castañeda, in a phone interview on Thursday, said that they have submitted to the office of the city mayor on Wednesday the document prepared by the city engineering team as a result of their previous discussion to be included in the slaughterhouse master plan.
“It contains the program of works with the costing and other specifications,” he said.
“The civil, mechanical, electrical, site development and machinery would probably cost PHP100 million,” he added.
However, with the additional works such as the sewerage treatment plant, service vehicle, waiting area to sanitize the facility and storage area, the total cost may amount to PHP150 million.
“We would like to factor in the expansion in the next five years,” he said citing that based on their discussions with experts from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), they need to add a certain area for processing such as cattle and hog lines.
He added that the city government will present a proposal to the Department of Agriculture-NMIS for the rehabilitation, and depending on the amount it will give then “we will work on it.”
“We have no idea if how much was allotted but what we know is that they are planning to provide us with a PHP100-million package for the rehabilitation of the slaughterhouse. But not until after the budget is really approved, we cannot say how much will be given to us,” he said.
He added that the document that was submitted to Mayor Jose Espinosa III on Tuesday will be forwarded to the DA together with the proposal and (fund) request.
Right now, the slaughterhouse caters to hogs and large animals like carabaos and cows. Daily, it can accommodate 150 heads of hogs and 20 heads of large animals.
Espinosa, meanwhile, said he already sought the assistance of the Office of Senator Cynthia Villar, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, for the fund requirement and he received a positive response.
Espinosa also added that he favors the reactivation of the Task Force Hot Meat to prevent the entry of double dead meat in the city because “it is dangerous.” (Perla Lena/PNA)
