Unicef, PPI fetes 3 journalists

Unicef, PPI fetes 3 journalists.

A question of peace

A question of peace.

Rehab of world’s dirtiest riover in Bulacan begins

Rehab of world’s dirtiest river in Bulacan begins

Zeroes and ones

Zeroes and ones

Black propaganda marks Bulacan politics

Black propaganda marks Bulacan politics.

Time to go green.

Bulacan is hot meat free

STA. MARIA, Bulacan—Public markets in Bulacan are hot meat or “botcha” free, officials said on Monday.

FEEDING BEFORE SLAUGHTER.

As this developed, Bulacan vowed to secure safety of livestock and meat products sourced from province as the provincial government created a new independent office dedicated to it.

The new office is the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) to be led by Dr. Voltaire Basinang.  The said office used to be under the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).

The PVO and Basinang will also be in-charge of the animal diagnostic laboratory which the provincial government vowed to build within the year to address needs of some 200 commercial livestock farms in Bulacan.

“There is no botcha in Bulacan public market,” Elvis Luciano, the acting market master of Sta. Maria Public Market said in Filipino.

He said that all pork and other meat sold in Bulacan public markets are inspected from the slaughterhouse to meat stalls in public markets.

“Public Markets in Bulacan are not that big like what we have here, and our meat inspectors are always checking the quality of meat sold everyday,” he said.

According to Luciano, meats inspectors in public markets along with inspectors at local slaughterhouse are accredited by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) in Central Luzon.

The accreditation, however, requires participation in training and seminars conducted by the NMIS to equip meat inspectors with necessary knowledge and capabilities.

For his part, Norman Secillano, the slaughterhouse administrator of Meycauayan City made assurance that all meat that went through their facility are safe to eat.

“We follow strict guidelines because we know that public health is at stake if meat products sold in public markets are not safe,” Secillano said.

With regards to maintenance of slaughterhouse, Secillano said that they clean their facilities everyday aside from general cleaning held every Tuesday morning.

On Monday, this writer observed that in cleaning the Meycauayan City Slaughterhouse, personell are using pressurized water with chlorine.

Secillano said that using chlorine everytime they clean the slaughterhouse is a preventive measure against bacteria that breeds on dirt.

Meanwhile, Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado announced on Monday the creation of the independent office of the Provincial Veterinarian which will be in-charge in securing safety of livestock and meat products in the province.

He said that Dr. Voltaire Basinang, the head of the veterinary division of the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) will lead the new independent office.

“We want to better respond to the needs of local livestock growers in Bulacan with the establishment of the new office,” Alvarado said.

He also said that the PVO will be in-charge of the animal diagnostic laboratory that will be established in the province within the year.

For his part, Basinang said the animal diagnostic laboratory will fast track their capabilities to respond to concerns of local livestock raisers especially when there are emerging diseases.

He said that the laboratory will allow them to immediately identify the virus or bacteria causing the disease; and they will not have to wait for days from results of laboratory tests conducted in Manila or abroad.