Iloilo City eyes export quality meat with new slaughterhouse

ILOILO CITY – This city is looking forward to producing export quality meat products with the establishment of a new state-of-the-art slaughterhouse replacing its old abattoir in Barangay Tacas, Jaro.

The city government, represented by Mayor Jerry Treñas, entered into an agreement with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), represented by its Iloilo Branch Senior Assistant Vice President (SAVP) Rodel Bustillo, for an P180 million loan to finance the upgrade of the slaughterhouse on Monday.

"Our city is progressive and continues to progress, so we must also upgrade our slaughterhouse to go with the development," Treñas said in a statement released on Tuesday.

The loan is payable in 15 years, inclusive of the three-year grace period.

The proposed slaughterhouse targets a AAA classification and will stand beside the existing abattoir.

To complement the state-of-the-art facilities, butchers assigned to the abattoir will undergo training with the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).

Maricel Mabaquiao, head of the Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO), which oversees the operation of the city slaughterhouse, said the NMIS provides technical support to the project.

The old dilapidated abattoir can accommodate around 200 to 300 swine heads, and 30 to 50 cattle heads daily.

The new slaughterhouse, on the other hand, can cater to over 500 heads since it is already mechanized.

It can also accept livestock from outside of the city and export the same to other areas while ensuring food and quality meat. (PNA)