By MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City — AVM Bernardo Engineering has defended its operation of the slaughterhouse in Brgy. Handumanan here, with its owner, Engr. Antonio Valeriano M. Bernardo, saying they have been managing the facility “very well.”
“AVM is a partner of the city (government),” Bernardo said in reaction to Mayor Monico Puentevella’s announcement that he will soon issue an order for the city government’s takeover of the slaughterhouse.
Puentevella said AVM Bernardo Engineering failed to comply with several provisions of its memorandum of agreement with the city government even after a compliance period was given to it.
The City Legal Office said the abattoir operator failed to provide the machineries and equipment embodied in the agreement, like cold storage facilities and cattle, hog and poultry line equipment, and to pay for its rent. It issued the operator a notice of violation, giving the latter 60 days to comply.
“We’ve been in the slaughterhouse business for more than 20 years,” Bernardo said during a press conference at the Apollo Restaurant on Cuadra Street here on Saturday.
“The equipment and the technology continue to evolve. Sometimes we need to add, we need to deduct, we need to change, we need to remove and, sometimes, we need to develop,” he said.
He assured that they can deliver whatever is expected of them in terms of abattoir operation. “We can satisfy the requirements of the (local) government for the slaughterhouse to become accredited.”
“We have secured permits from Department of Environment and Natural Resources because we are compliant with our discharge and the Department of Health because the people working (in the slaughterhouse) have to secure health certificates,” he said. “We have been accredited by the National Meat Inspection Service, an agency under the Department of Agriculture, and the local government unit, because we got our mayor’s permit.”
Bernardo did not reveal what exactly he would do once the takeover order comes out. All he said was that they were having a discussion with the city government.
“Maybe we need clarifications with the Office of the City Mayor,” he said. “We simply need to further discuss with him to give additional information about the situation.”
Bernardo said several letters have been sent to them, informing them about their alleged violations of the agreement. “Personally, I don’t look at them as violations,” and the letters were “simply information to remind us about those items (provisions),” he said.
As stated in the agreement, AVM Bernardo Engineering will turn over the slaughterhouse to the city government in good working condition after 20 years, he said.
But if city hall takes over the abattoir now, “it can take what belongs to the city and we will take what is ours,” he stressed./PN
