THE Davao City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) confiscated 2138.02 kilograms of illegally slaughtered meat or hot meat in 2023.
CVO’s Officer-in-Charge, Dr. Ma. Corazon Sepulveda, said in an interview with the City Information Office (CIO) on Monday, that their office is regularly conducting post-abattoir monitoring of meat and meat by-products in public markets and supermarkets around the city.
She said inspectors look for the Meat Inspection Certificates (MIC) during their monitoring since it is the basis to ensure that the meat sold in markets is safe for human consumption.
“‘Pag nagmonitor at nakita na walang meat inspection certificate, yun lang ang basis namin ‘yung meat inspection certificate that’s very important, right then and there, pagka-monitor wala kang mapresent it will be confiscated [During the monitoring if you can’t present a Meat Inspection Certificate, our inspectors will confiscate the meat products. The Meat Inspection Certificate is our basis, and the MIC is very important],” Sepulveda explained.
Other than regular monitoring, the CVO also sends its inspectors to address anonymous reports on illegally slaughtered meat.
Sepulveda said that the confiscated hot meat is condemned and buried.
Meanwhile, the CVO is urging meat vendors to have their meat products or livestock slaughtered in registered slaughterhouses in the city. Sepulveda said there are three slaughterhouses in Davao: a private one in Panacan; the Bankerohan Livestock located in Maa; and the Malagos slaughterhouse.
Dabawenyos are also reminded to always look for the MIC when buying meat and meat products in public markets, meat shops, and supermarkets.
“Sa ating Dabawenyos, yung usual na sinasabi namin, first talaga tingnan nila kung meron silang Meat Inspection Certificate kasi alam ‘yan ng ating meat vendors na talagang dapat naka display yung kanilang Meat Inspection Certificate. Pagbaba ng carcass from the slaughterhouse nakasabit na po yang Meat Inspection Certificate niyan [To our Dabawenyos, like we always say, first look for the Meat Inspection Certificate because our vendors are already aware that they have to display their certificates in their stalls. When the meat carcass is delivered from the slaughterhouse, the Meat Inspection Certificate is already attached to it],” Sepulveda said. CIO
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