Subproject stakeholders and key players in the swine industry attended the Public Hearing and Consultation for the proposed AA Slaughterhouse in Boac, Marinduque, on March 9.

Headed by Social and Environmental Safeguards Officer Engr. Darwin Canlas, stakeholders were given an overview of the proposed subproject and were consulted about their questions and concerns regarding the proposal. Also present were Rural Infrastructure Engineer Engr. Ralph Manuel and Economist Bryan Orozco  helped address the queries raised.

In the said event, benefits such as the opportunity to sell products outside of Marinduque and at a more competitive price were brought up, earning the stakeholders’ approval.

Boac Municipal Agriculturist Erlinda Vasquez Jasmin assured the stakeholders that despite the municipality’s low swine production, they are doubling their efforts to increase their supply in preparation for the AA Slaughterhouse.

“Sa AA, ang manggagaling na karne sa ating slaughterhouse ay pwedeng i-travel na [sa labas ng probinsya]. Sa ngayon ang karne natin ay hanggang consumption lamang ng Boac kasi A palang tayo. Sa ngayon ang target natin ay AA para mas may kalidad ang ating karne. Bukod sa infrastructure, pati sa process ng pag-slaughter ay kelangan natin maayos. Mahaba man ang process, pero ang Pamahalaang Bayan ng Boac ay may mga project naman na ibibigay para sa atin,” explained MAO Jasmin.

[In AA, the meat produced by our slaughterhouse can be transported outside  the province. For now, our meat production is solely for the consumption of Boac because we only have an A Slaughterhouse. So our target now is an AA Slaughterhouse to increase the quality of our meat. Aside from the infrastructure, we must also fix the slaughtering process to prepare for this. The process might be long, but the LGU has projects lined up for this.]

Generally, the AA Slaughterhouse in Boac, Marinduque, aims to increase the income of industry players such as hog raisers, traders, and assemblers by increasing hog production, generating new jobs through slaughterhouse operation, and increasing the market value of the meat produced.

Currently, the Province of Marinduque has one enterprise subproject that attends to the swine commodity in the form of the Marinduque Swine Meat Processing of the Farm Operators of Marinduque Multi-Purpose Cooperative (FOMMCO). (Danica A. Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

MIMAROPA RPCO representatives act as a panel and opens the floor for questions and concerns for the subproject stakeholders. (Photo by Danica Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Boac Municipal Agriculturist Erlinda Vasquez Jasmin giving the participants a rundown of the benefits of an AA Slaughterhouse. (Photo by Danica Brutas, DA-PRDP MIMAROPA RPCO InfoACE Unit)