ILOILO City – Are the lechon produced in this city safe for human consumption? Beginning next month, the city government’s Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) will be deploying teams to inspect lechon makers. There are over 80 lechon producers in the city. The inspection is part of the drive against “hot meat”, according to LEEO chief Ariel Castañeda.
It’s a check whether the lechon makers are applying what they have learned from a recent meat sanitation and safety seminar.
“There will be fines if they are not complying with the basic guidelines and standards on meat safety and sanitation in terms of display, storage and slaughtering,” said Castañeda.
He stressed the importance of cleanliness and correct meat storage.
“We can confiscate their lechon. We can also recommend the cancellation of their business permits,” said Castañeda.
Most lechon makers do not avail themselves of the services of the city government’s slaughterhouse in Barangay Tacas, Jaro district. They have their own ihawan, according to the LEEO chief.
“Para we don’t also rob the city government of slaughterhouse revenues, appropriate fees and taxes would be levied on the lechon makers’ ihawan,” said Castañeda.
Post-mortem and anti-mortem fees are collected from those having their hogs and cattle slaughtered at the city’s abattoir before the issuance of meat inspection certificates.
According to Castañeda, lechon makers, too, would be issued meat inspection certificates if they are found to be compliant.
Other targets of LEEO’s inspectors are wet markets that sell meat.
But to bolster the campaign against hot meat, Castañeda recommended that Mayor Jose Espinosa III issue an executive order reviving the city government’s Task Force Hot Meat.
More meat inspectors are needed, he stressed, and they should be trained well prior to deployment.
Currently, the LEEO has five meat inspectors. The ideal is 10, said Castañeda.
“We need more para may bulos-bulos inspection,” he explained.
He acknowledged the existence of backyard slaughtering – a practice that makes it hard for the LEEO to ensure that meat being sold in the city are safe.
Backyard slaughtering also deprives the city’s abattoir of revenues.
The city’s slaughterhouse is designed to accommodate 500 heads of cattle and hogs but right now only between 150 to 170 are slaughtered daily, said Castañeda. He believed backyard slaughtering was a factor in this.
The LEEO would be inspecting malls, too, as instructed by the Department of Agriculture, revealed the LEEO chief.
“Kay ang nagasulod dira nga mga imported nga karne are from outside of Iloilo, not necessarily from foreign countries but from other provinces. More or less two tons each day. We really don’t know kun tanan ini sila may meat inspection certificates,” said Castañeda.
The objective, he said, is to ensure that meat being consumed in the city are safe for human consumption./PN
on a similar note…I hope inspectionon nila ang pork sa sm city. asta subong daw munog lub-ok man gyapon ang ila ginabaligya. last ko bakal 2014. abi ko nag improve na sila considering munug tunga na sa dekada. hay amo man gihapon.