Backyard piggery operators given ultimatum

THE CITY Environment Parks Management Office(CEPMO) reminded backyard piggery operators of the ultimatum by the city government of Baguio to start looking for other means of livelihood and eventually cease and desist from operating before 2020.

In the weekly Talakayan sa Environment Code, CEPMO representative Engineer Moises Lozano said based on their inventory in 2018, a total of 261 back yard piggeries were recorded within the 17 barangays of the Balili River, including Gibraltar, Pacdal and Lualhati areas.

“Based on our inventory, there are 215 backyard piggeries in the 17 barangays in the Balili area were listed with 32 operators who voluntarily stopped their operations, while 46 backyard piggeries operators were listed within the Gibraltar, Pacdal and Lualhati area with 14 operators agreeing to stop their operations based on an Affidavit Of Understanding (AOU ) issued by CEPMO,” Lozano explained.

In November last year, these operators were give a year to institute the appropriate mitigating measures that will put an end to the unabated dumping of animal waste to the various river systems or to dispose their pigs.

An earlier Administrative Order No.43, series of 2018 was issued by Mayor Mauricio Domogan creating an inter-agency task force on piggeries in the city and defining its functions relative to the proliferation of backyard piggeries in the different barangays which had been the subject of complaints from affected residents.

EMB-CAR identified the operation of backyard piggeries as one of the major pollutants of the various tributaries of water systems in the city because some of the piggeries allow their waste to directly flow to the city's water system.

Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) Chairman Erdolfo Balajadia also reiterated their stand against backyard piggery in the city as specified in the Environment Code.

“BRM have always been against the operation of any backyard piggery in the city of Baguio aside from your recommendations, I don’t know how the father of the city will weigh on the

recommendations of the EMB vis a vis our objection in the BRM,” Balajadia said.

Backyard piggery operators were asked to acquire septic tanks without plugs or apply pig waste treatments.

Backyard piggery owners may face violations on pertinent Provisions of Republic Act (RA) 8749 or the Philippine clean Air Act, RA 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act and RA 9904 or the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners Associations which actually prescribe the standards for the existence of piggeries within residential areas, aside from violation of P.D. 856 or the sanitation code of the Philippines.