ILOILO City – The freak accident at a meat shop in La Paz district – where a worker got swallowed by a meat mixer and died – has resulted to consumers not buying ground meat and the popular ground meat product chorizo. At least for now.
La Paz meat vendors told Panay News they were feeling the pinch.
Consumers were worried they could be buying contaminated chorizos, said Domingo Laxinto, a meat vendor at the La Paz Public Market.
Chorizo is a type of sausage made from ground beef or pork and pork fat, seasoned with spices and salt. Traditionally, it uses natural casings made from intestines.
“Sales suddenly became sluggish,” said Laxinto.
Prior to the accident at Akhira’s Frozen Foods and Manokan, Laxinto said, he could dispose 40 dozens of packed chorizos every day; now he could hardly sell 20 packs.
“Buyers won’t listen to our explanation and assurances. Our ground meat and meat products are sourced from the Iloilo Central Market and not from the Iloilo Terminal Market where Akhira’s Frozen Foods and Manokan was maintaining a kiosk,” said Laxinto of Hornados Dressed Chicken.
Even eateries that used to buy chorizos from their store have stopped placing orders, said Laxinto, because carinderia customers do not order chorizos anymore.
Allen Valenzuela of Thelma’s Store, also at the La Paz Public Market, had a similar experience as Laxinto’s.
“Buyers now insist on asking where we source our chorizos,” said Valenzuela. “But even if they have been told we’re not selling products from Akhira’s Frozen Foods and Manokan, they would still not buy from us.”
Valenzuela hoped consumers would eventually realize it was not true that half of the body of the ill-fated employee of Akhira’s Frozen Foods and Manokan became minced meat.
According to Valenzuela, he was selling between 20 to 30 dozens of chorizo packs each day prior to the freak accident.
He told Panay News his products were sourced from the island province of Guimaras and Mandurriao district here so they were safe for human consumption.
For her part, Marimar Sancho of Loven Store also at the La Paz Public Market expressed confidence that soon consumers would resume patronizing chorizos and other ground meat products.
There were other suppliers of ground meat here, not only Akhira’s Frozen Foods and Manokan, she stressed.
For now, said Sancho, they have to be patient with finicky buyers, noting that her store used to sell 30 dozens of packed chorizo each day.
“Subong tatlo ukon apat pa ka-adlaw kag maubos,” she lamented.
The other day, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said the owner of Akhira’s Frozen Foods and Manokan decided to close shop.
According to Regional Director Cyril Ticao, the business owner, Joselor Jaleco, announced the permanent closure during a hearing at the agency’s regional office here.
What DOLE Region 6 issued was a work stoppage order but the management itself decided “nga isara na lang nila,” said Ticao.
In issuing a work stoppage order, DOLE Region 6 cited the findings of its inspectors on Akhira’s Frozen Foods and Manokan. These were the following:
* non-registration of the business establishment with DOLE under Rule 1020 of the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Law
* no safety officer
* no accident report submit to DOLE within 24 hours after employee Joemar Junco of Lauaan, Antique died
* non-provision of safety signs in the work place./PN
