belmonte

Pig, poultry raising now prohibited in QC

October 19, 2021 Cory Martinez 354 views

MAYOR Joy Belmonte signed into law City Ordinance 2990-2020, which states that “no piggery or poultry farms for the purposes of food or meat production should be allowed within the territorial jurisdiction of the city.”

The ordinance authored by Councilors Franz Pumaren, Diorella Maria Sotto-Antonio, and Eric Medina, aims to protect QCitizens from various public health issues.

Based on the data of the City Veterinary Department, 14 out of 17 barangays that previously had backyard farms and piggeries, already stopped operations.

“As of today, there are only three barangays (Payatas, Sta. Lucia and Old Balara) with 26 piggeries. They vowed to close these down by November 2021,” Belmonte said.

The QC Zoning Ordinance also prohibits piggeries and poultries as the city doesn’t have any agricultural or rural zones that allows pig or poultry raising.

“Bago sila magsara, sisiguraduhin natin na mababawi nila ‘yung dapat nilang kita at bibigyan sila ng alternative na pangkabuhayan para magkaroon sila ng iba pang source of income para sa kanilang pamilya,” Belmonte added.

According to City Veterinary Department head Dr. Ana Marie Cabel, aside from operating in an urban area, backyard piggeries also violate various environmental and sanitation guidelines.

Backyard poultry and piggeries also tend to pollute tributaries because such businesses often allow waste to flow into riverways.

“Bilang alternative sa pangkabuhayan nila noon, binigyan natin ng livelihood options ang piggery owners. Sa ngayon, mayroon nang 118 recipients ng livelihood programs natin through our Small Business Cooperatives Development and Promotions Office,” Cabel said.

In February, the city also turned over urban aquaculture starter kits to hog raisers who had lost their livelihood to African Swine Fever in 2019.

Empty pigpens and vacant lots are now utilized as fish pens and backyard fishponds where they can grow tilapia and hito.

Some hog raisers were given electronic tricycles from the Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) as an alternative source of income.

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