SEVERAL backyard piggeries in Baguio City will be demolished by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Cordillera because they have affected the waterways of the city leading to the Balili river.
Reynaldo Digamo, officer-in-charge of the Environment and Management Bureau of the DENR, said discharges from backyard piggery operations in five barangays are a leading pollutant in various water systems in the city.
Digamo added some piggeries directly throw waste into the Bued and Balili river, which is punishable by law.
"Because of this population alone of pigs within the urban area that discharges directly or indirectly to the Balili river, it has high E. coli (content) which have reached millions in level and bio chemical oxygen demand," Degamo said.
Digamo, who is a member of the Task Force Piggeries, claimed that Gibraltar recorded the highest number of pig population with 254, followed by Pacdal with 174, Outlook Drive – 111, St. Joseph Village – 81 and Lualhati – 24.
EMB's data showed that 40 percent of the water system of Baguio City comes from the Balili and Bued river.
Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan recently issued Administrative Order (AO) No. 43, series of 2018 which created an inter-agency task force on piggeries in the city.
AO 43 defined the task force's functions relative to the proliferation of backyard piggeries in the different barangays which had been the subject of complaints from affected residents.
Digamo strongly recommended to the city government for the possible demolition of these backyard piggeries.
"We have nothing against anyone raising pigs provided they will do it in the right place. Nakakalungkot lang isipin na matagal ng binababoy ng magbababoy ang Balili river," Digamo said.
While backyard piggeries serve as a major source of livelihood for a number of people in the said places, Domogan said the same have been a cause of nuisance in their neighborhood due to their alleged failure to comply with the existence of standard septic tanks, the waste from the said piggeries are directly flowing to tributaries of major water systems aside from the fact that the stench emitted by the piggeries causes inconvenience to the residents and passers-by.
The issuance of the order by the mayor was anchored on the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 8749 or the Philippine clean Air Act, RA 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act and RA 9904 or the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners Associations which prescribe the standards for the existence of piggeries in residential areas.
The EMB recommended to backyard piggery operators to acquire septic tanks without plugs or apply pig waste treatments.
"We are calling on those who are engaged in backyard piggery to relocate to non-urban areas and not in Baguio City which is a highly urbanized city," Digamo added.