Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose “Bong” Lacson and National Meat Inspection Service-Western Visayas director Dr. Emmanuel Lemana, with Murcia Mayor Gerry Rojas, Vice Mayor Johnny Reosura, SB members and other officials, led the groundbreaking on June 22 of the P50 million “AA” standard slaughterhouse in Brgy. Alegria, Murcia.
“We should be thankful that this project is being started this early. This facility will enhance business opportunities not only here in Murcia but also in the neighboring localities, because this will attract more investors in the meat production industry,” Lemana said.
“Once this ‘AA’ slaughterhouse becomes operational and duly-accredited with the NMIS, meat products from this slaughterhouse can be shipped to other parts of the country, especially in Metro Manila which is the biggest market for meat products in the country,” he added.
Lemana explained that, instead of shipping live hogs, hog raisers can send frozen carcasses from this slaughterhouse to Metro Manila and other markets in the country. Murcia hog raisers won’t have to suffer huge losses from mortality of their hogs due to risks in transit during shipment. This will create an opportunity for hog-raisers to fully make use of the market in Manila and beyond.
He expressed confidence that the operation of the new slaughterhouse can also provide additional livelihood and employment opportunities, and make the local economy more vibrant, particularly in Brgy. Alegria.
“This new P50 million slaughterhouse is entirely a grant under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP). The PRDP projects are funded 80 percent by World Bank, 10 percent by the National Government and 10 percent by the participating LGU. In this instance, the fund source is P40M from the World Bank, P5M from the National Government and P5M from the Province of Negros Occidental,” Lacson said.
He congratulated Murcia for being the lucky recipient of the grant, and he enjoined Murcia officials to take very good care of the facility.
A six-year national project under the Department of Agriculture, the PRDP aims to establish a modern, value chain-oriented and climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries sector. In partnership with LGUs and the private sector, the project provides key infrastructure, facilities, technology and information to raise incomes, productivity and competitiveness in targeted areas.
“It has been a long time that we dreamed of building a new, modern slaughterhouse, but we have no funds. Our old slaughterhouse is located very near our town center, and it is surrounded by numerous houses, making it the area less suited for its purpose. This new slaughterhouse, funded by the PRDP grant and to be constructed on the site donated by the Lim family, is a dream come true,” Rojas said.
The mayor thanked the PRDP for choosing Murcia as one the priority LGUs for the slaughterhouse. He also thanked Lacson for selecting Murcia as one of the six priority towns, out of the 31 LGUs in the province, granted the funding.
“Special thanks goes to Alvin and Jennifer Lim and the Lim family for donating this 6,763 square meters property for the slaughterhouse,” the mayor also said.*
