Baguio gets DA freezer vans

BAGUIO CITY: Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR) Regional Executive Director Cameron Odsey turned over two freezer vans and four units of chest freezers to the city government during the flag-raising rites on Monday, November 14, at the Baguio City Hall.

The turnover was held under DAR’s Kadiwa Cold Chain Project and was received by Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

He said that the freezer vans will be used to transport agricultural commodities such as meat products, fruits, and vegetables from farms in the Summer Capital to the market.

“The project aims to ensure safe distribution and handling of both local and imported chilled and frozen meat in the wet markets and other meat outlets in the city,” said City Veterinary and Agriculture Office head Dr. Silardo Bested.

He said that based on existing food safety rules, meat products may only be sold in wet markets after they have been properly refrigerated or frozen.

“The outbreak of African swine fever in the country that started in July 2019 and is still being experienced until now, is greatly affecting the spike in prices of local pork due to the reduction of supply,” said Bested.

Bested said the DA through the Bureau of Plant Industry partnered with the city government for the subsidy program that seeks to modernize wet market refrigeration systems through the provision of chest freezers and freezer vans.

Bested also said that on Sunday, November 13, the

DA and the city government awarded 54 chest freezers to various local beneficiaries.