MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Nov. 18 (PNA) –- The city government here has kicked off this week the construction of PHP20 million modern slaughterhouse.
Classified as AA, the new abattoir will rise in a 2,500-square meter lot in Ibarra village, two kilometers away from the national road.
Mayor Maloney Samaco said the entire construction works of the one-storey building is divided into three phases.
First phase is levelling of grounds, digging of holes for erection of concrete foundations, installation of roofs atop the ceiling and masonry jobs.
Second phase would be fabrication of several modern equipment for use in the day-to-day slaughtering operations, including making of stainless utensils. The third phase would be the outside ground development like parking space, fencing, installation of water tanks and other amenities.
The mayor divulged that the project is in counterpart with the which monitors and regulates abattoirs in the country.
“The start of work got a PHP5 million from the city government and PHP5 million from the NMIS,” Samaco said.
City veterinarian Rey Alinsub informed that the building has a length of 24 meters and width of 18 meters. It will be divided into two – one for cattle and one for hogs and goats.
Alinsub, who is going to take charge of the animals for slaughtering, said he has already assigned two trained inspectors and may add personnel when the abattoir becomes fully operational.
Prior to slaughter, the designated inspectors have to make sure that an animal is disease-free.
“Butchers would bath the animals scheduled for slaugherting before electric stunner would be administered to weaken them,” Alinsub said. “This is in conformity with the Animal Welfare Act, avoiding the application of cruelty and inhuman treatment in killing animals for sale to meat-eaters.”
He also clarified that the common scene of “floor placement” of pigs or goats during the slaughtering process will no longer exist in this AA-classified slaughterhouse once it becomes operational after its completion.
“Extraction of entrails of slaughtered pigs or goats are to be done in hanging positions and no longer upon the concrete floor,” he said. “The new slaughterhouse will also be using digital weigh after cleaning the carcass.”
Samaco disclosed that waste manure will be deposited in septic tanks, which will be used for fuel and methane gas-extracted waste to be used as organic fertilizer. (PNA)
JMC/SQM/QUIRICO M. GORPIDO,JR./EGR
