DUMANJUG Mayor Guntrano “Gungun” Gica is calling for stricter regulation of poultry waste after inspecting a site in Barangay Lawaan on Thursday, June 19, 2025, following a complaint from a resident about a fly infestation allegedly caused by improper waste disposal in the area.
Gica told SunStar Cebu that after receiving news about the fly infestation, the LGU immediately stepped in to inspect all poultry farms in the southern town and is now considering crafting a new ordinance penalizing the improper disposal of poultry waste.
The issue came to light after a resident raised the concern in a Facebook post on Thursday, June 18.
The post included photos and a sketch of the suspected source while calling for its immediate disinfection.
The post described the area as “grabi jud sa hugaw og baho” (extremely dirty and smelly), with swarms of flies affecting nearby communities.
“We had our sanitary inspector and concerned offices visit the area. They made recommendations,” he said.
While an existing municipal ordinance provides sanctions for violations, including fines for the first offense, suspension for the second offense, and business permit cancellation for the third offense, Gica said there are limitations on what the local government can currently impose.
“We discovered one poultry operation that tried to cut costs by dumping chicken waste in an open field that was not even owned by them,” Gica said in Cebuano.
The waste was supposed to be covered with soil, but the owner’s backhoe was reportedly out of order.
Following the incident, the Municipal Government is now planning to pass a new ordinance specifically penalizing the unauthorized disposal of poultry waste.
Gica explained that under the new ordinance, the penalty for the violation will be set at P2,000 per kilo of waste since the maximum allowable fine regulated by the Provincial Government is only P2,500.
“For now, we can only reprimand them,” Gica said, but assured that municipal officials—including the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, sanitary and agriculture offices—are actively addressing the issue.
“We already have ordinances in place since 2016 when I became mayor, and these are continuously evolving,” he added.
He said inspections are still ongoing, with various officials including the vice mayor visiting poultry sites.
Dumanjug town is located 73 kilometers southwest of Cebu City. The town is famous for its Bisayang Manok or native roasted chicken. / CDF