BACOLOR Mayor Eduardo Datu has ordered the closure of two poultry farms in Barangay San Isidro for various sanitary violations and lack of necessary permits.
Datu, in two closure orders dated August 20, 2019, ordered Ayes Farm and AGD Farm to stop operations after several inspections conducted by municipal sanitary and agriculture officers resulted in adverse findings against the farms.
Closure orders issued by the mayor's office revealed that Ayes and AGD farms have been operating without sanitary, building and mayor's permits. This was found out after the Municipal Government conducted at least three inspections.
Municipal Agriculturist Honorio Pineda said Ayes Farm had various violations like "operating without necessary permits, foul odor, maggots, no mortality pit and no biosecurity measures and protocols."
Copies of the sanitary orders obtained by SunStar Pampanga revealed that both farms have also been operating without Environmental Control Certificates, no registration with the Department of Trade and Industry, and no barangay resolutions acknowledging their operations in the said barangays.
Both farms were also advised to follow and comply with standard operating procedures and use environment friendly solutions to minimize the proliferation of fly populations in their respective farms.
"In the interest of public health and safety, we have ordered the closure of the said farms until further compliance with municipal and environmental laws," Datu said.
Datu earlier issued an ultimatum to poultry and livestock owners in Bacolor town to abide by environmental laws and comply with sanitary regulations or face closure.
Initial reports from the Municipal Government revealed that there are some 26 poultry farms in Bacolor town. Most of these are located in the barangays of Potrero, San Isidro, Concepcion, Dolores, Sta. Barbara, and Balas.
In Barangay Maliwalu alone, there are some six large-scale poultry farms. Some 97 percent of poultry farms in the town are large-scale broiler farms. The town also has 10 poultry farms operating mostly in barangays Balas and Potrero. The said farms are mostly medium size to large operations.
Another farm appears to have no record at all with the Municipal Government.
There are also four quail farms of large to commercial operation in the town. Three of these farms have been operating without permits and another has not undergone inspection.
There is also one commercial duck farm in the town that is yet to undergo inspection as of press time.
In 2018, communities in barangays Santa Barbara and San Antonio were pestered by swarms of flies. This occurred in December, which coincided with the harvest of broilers for sale in the local market.