The Municipality of Oton is ensured of safe and quality meat with the construction of a “AA” abattoir project worth P52 million at located at a 3,275 square-meter lot at Sitio So-oc, Brgy. Lambuyao.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., First District Rep. Janette Garin, Vice Gov. Christine Garin, Mayor Sofronio Fusin, Jr., Vice Mayor Jose Neil Olivares, former mayor Carina Flores, Engr. Antonio Ronel Trino of the Department of Agriculture VI, Provincial Engineer Romeo Andig, Provincial Planning and Development Officer Mario Nillos, a representative from the National Meat Inspection Service, and the Sangguniang Bayan members, among others led the groundbreaking ceremony on February 1, 2023.
The project totalling P52,099,978.66 is financed by a loan grant from the World Bank worth P38,524,800 which comprises 74 per cent of the budget; P4,815,600 (nine per cent) share from the Department of Agriculture through the Philippine Rural Development Project; and P8,759,578.66 (17 per cent) counterpart from the provincial government of Iloilo.
The project also covers the construction of a holding pen, boiler room, drying area and weighing scale shed, and perimeter fence. Other support infrastructure facilities include an elevated water tank to assure an adequate supply of water; a septic vault for waste management; a drainage system and wastewater facilities; a rainwater harvester, a concrete pavement driveway; and a deep well, among others.
It is the first abattoir project funded under the PRDP. Other recipient towns include Concepcion, Santa Barbara, Passi City, Lambunao, and Carles.
When completed, the facility can process 16 heads per hour for swine and 12 heads per day for cattle. It will provide slaughtering services to the 37 barangays in Oton and the neighbouring municipalities of Alimodian, Tigbauan, San Miguel, and Pavia, as well as Iloilo City.
It will be supervised by the Municipal Economic and Enterprise Development Office (MEEDO) of Oton.
Engr. Andig said the abattoir will spur local economic growth and generate employment by boosting the swine industry, thereby providing a livelihood for meat processors and butchers.
“It will give an opportunity to livestock raisers and traders to sell quality and safe meat to business establishments and institutions,” he said.
Governor Defensor said the abattoir project is “very fundamental” in creating a value chain for pork products.
The governor said the African Swine Fever (ASF) experience has taught the province the need to produce pork products to ensure the sustainability of the swine industry.
Oton was the first town in the province to record ASF cases.
“We want to maximize our agricultural production and in the meantime create a value chain. We process our agricultural products into some other products so that we have something to sell and we can have employment and business for our agri-tourism industry,” he said.
The governor congratulated and thanked the proponents who made the project come to fruition. He said the provincial government is preparing more proposals for PRDP funding.
Meanwhile, Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) senior environmental management specialist Mitzi Peñaflorida assured the community that the project is compliant with the environmental standards for an abattoir facility.
She said PGENRO has reviewed the project’s environmental safeguard plan and they will also be monitoring its construction and operation.
(LHC/Capitol news)
