Several private firms expressed interest to take over the operations of a slaughterhouse or abattoir in Iloilo City.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas disclosed that he received proposals from eight companies.
“These proposals will be scrutinized by the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center,” he said.
The city government-run slaughterhouse, which became operational in 2007, needs to undergo rehabilitation to improve its services.
Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) head Ariel Castañeda said at least P100 million is needed for the improvement of the facility in Barangay Tacas, Jaro district.
In November 2012, a repair was undertaken on the slaughterhouse. Senator Franklin Drilon shared P40 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), while the Department of Agriculture (DA) provided P31.5 million under the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF), and the Iloilo City Government pitched in P11.5 million as its equity.
The upgrade helped the slaughterhouse meet the Double A classification, which means the meat can be transported outside the city.
But after a few years, the slaughterhouse was deteriorated again.
According to Treñas, a team from the PPP Center recently inspected the slaughterhouse.
The PPP Center espouses the PPP scheme – a contractual agreement between the government and a private firm targeted towards financing, designing, implementing, and operating infrastructure facilities and services traditionally provided by the public sector.
Treñas envisions an AAA slaughterhouse capable of producing export-quality meat.
The initiative aims to ensure safe meat products being processed and sold in markets.
“We can’t have a slaughterhouse where the butchering process is being done on the floor. We want to have the best slaughterhouse in Western Visayas,” said Treñas.IMT
