THE municipal government of Bacolor will no longer accept applications for business permits from new poultry businesses following complaints of fly infestation in residential areas near fowl farms.

Mayor Eduardo “Diman” Datu made this pronouncement during a recent meeting with 21 village chairmen in the town, saying he will be rejecting applications for business permits for the said type of industry.

“Hindi na kami tatanggap ng additional poultry business dito sa Bacolor. Pasensya na po ang mga gustong mag-invest o maghanap-buhay dito pero sa ngayon, marami ng poultry sa bayan namin at kailangan muna namin itong ayusin,” Datu said.

(We will no longer allow additional poultry businesses in Bacolor. Pardon us but there are already too many poultry farms in our town and we need to address the complaints.)

He said the reported swarming of flies in some villages allegedly caused by poultry farms is a serious matter that must be addressed, especially that it poses health risks to affected residents.

Datu also instructed village chiefs and sanitary officers to conduct re-inspection of existing poultry farms in the town to check if they are compliant with the environment and sanitation code.

“Ang focus muna namin ay ayusin iyong mga existing poultry farms namin. Kailangan i-investigate muna kung sa kanila ba talaga nanggagaling ang mga langaw na inirereklamo ng mga residente natin dito,” he said.

If poultry farms are found to have caused the fly infestation and are not willing to comply with the requirements of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the local government, Datu said these will immediately be ordered closed.

“Kung hindi namin sila maayos at sila mismo ayaw ayusin ang sarili nila, pasensyahan tayo pero ipapasara nalang natin sila,” Datu warned.