TUBA, Benguet – The municipal government asserted that proponents of a state-of-the-art commercial piggery farm in barangay San Pascual here should first secure the free and prior informed consent (FPIC) of the affected indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples (ICCs-IPs) considering that the project is considered to be environmentally critical.
Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan said that even if the project will be established in a private property, the affected IPs must be consulted if they will allow the presence of the commercial piggery farm within their community considering its expected serious negative impact to the state of the environment, especially the different waterways in the area.
“The proponents of the put up of a commercial piggery farm in San Pascual must first secure the consent of the indigenous peoples so that whatever problems that will be identified will be first addressed prior to the realization of the project,” mayor Sal-ongan stressed.
Earlier, the Baguio City government and the agriculture department are working out the establishment of a cooperative composed of commercial and backyard piggery owners from Baguio City and Tuba town that will operate the multi-million facility that is being eyed to be put up in a private property in barangay San Pascual.
While the concept of the project is intended for the good of the backyard and commercial hog raisers, Sal-ongan pointed out that it is still best for the proponents to seek the consent of the affected IPs so that whatever problems that will be raised will be immediately addressed prior to its operation to avoid unnecessary complaints from the affected IPs.
The city government was able to secure a P10 fund assistance from the agriculture department to jumpstart the implementation of the project considering that the facility will be able to accommodate some 1,200 pigs and that the projected harvest is twice a year.
The project is intended to benefit both the hog raisers from Baguio City and Tuba and that the share of the identified hog raisers will be given to them in the form of checks that will be issued by the registered cooperative.
Baguio City is currently working out the total stoppage of backyard and commercial hog raising in the city pursuant to existing law, rules and regulations that prohibit hog raising in highly urbanized cities.
Local high raisers had been given an ultimatum by the city government to dispose their pigs and form them not to add up to their existing pigs considering their impending relocation to Tuba.
The state-of-the-art commercial piggery farm will be fully air conditioned aside from the fact that its operation will be manned by a few individuals considering that all the facilities will be computerized and in accordance to existing standards.
Further, it will be the cooperative that will market the hogs that will be produced in the commercial piggery farm while the piglets will come from an internationally accredited supplier who will be the partner of the cooperative in the management and operation of the same.
Sal-ongan expressed optimism that the proponents will adhere to the required public consultations prior to the pursuit of the said piggery farm project.
By HENT
