Hog raisers in Porac town here led by the Angeles-Pampanga Livestock Growers Association (Palga) welcomed the formation of multi-partite team to monitor their compliance with environmental rules and in addressing the complaints of residents in various barangays at the border of Porac and Angeles City.
During a dialogue held last Wednesday at the Grand Palazzo Royale, Palga presented some technical information on the current and ongoing effort of Palga and its membership in addressing the complaints from residents in Sta. Cruz and other nearby barangays in Porac and in Barangays Cutcut and Cuayan in Angeles City.
Residents in those barangays banded together under the Krusada Kontra Amoy (KKA) chaired by Victoria Velasco to press for solutions to the unpleasant smell allegedly emanating from the piggery farms.
The dialogue was also attended by Lormellyn Claudio, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) regional director, and Engr. Fer Lipayon, her assistant, Porac health and sanitation officials and Francis Pangilinan, Angeles City Clean and Green Program (Accgp) executive officer.
Dr. Civilo Lima of Palga explained that the operators of the piggery farms in Barangay Sta. Cruz have been undertaking important technological measures in their swine production farms in order to address the complaints of residents.
Lima presented data on technical and practical aspects in ensuring quality and cleanliness in hog farm standards to ensure the safety of both humans in the community and livestock in the piggery farms.
Lima explained that in the case of hog raisers, they make sure that their farms are definitely clean and sanitary to minimize the risks to the health of the general public and the workers who are directly exposed in the farms most of the time.
Lima said one of the measures that the hog raisers have adopted is the shift from regular feeds to the use of special additives and formulations that mitigate the unpleasant smell.
He said operators also maintain strict sanitation and housekeeping standards to ensure the health of their hogs and ensure high quality of their swine production.
Tom Lazaro, another Palga member, said all measures based on existing and available technology are being implemented to mitigate the emission of the unpleasant smell from the farms.
He added that the members are seriously addressing the concerns of the host communities and have adopted both and short and long term measures in this direction.
Ruperto Cruz, Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement (PGKM) chairman, said the participation of the farm operators is an indication of their willingness to bring about a win-win solution that will be forthcoming to the best interest of all concerned.
Claudio set the third and final round of discussions on the issue on Monday where the composition of the multi-partite monitoring teams will be finalized.
She added that the members of the monitoring teams would be given an orientation on the environmental laws and regulations and other processes involved in environmental protection.
