STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS - Bacolod City

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remained unused and has started to deteriorate. But seeing the great need of
Bacolod City for a cleaner and modern slaughterhouse pushed this
administration to work for the completion of the project. Now, after 9 years, this
is another dream come true for our city.
AVM Bernardo Engineering, Inc., contractor for this Add-Operate-and
Transfer project, has invested P54 million into the venture. This facility is now
the largest mechanized slaughterhouse in Western Visayas in terms of size and
capacity.
The new slaughterhouse is classified as a double A facility which means
that meat slaughtered there can be sold outside of Bacolod City. This will be a
good opportunity for our cattle and hog raisers who would like to ship to the
Metro Manila market. Small meat raisers can be assisted to form cooperatives
so that they too can avail of expanded business opportunities.
As it is now, Metro Manila is getting a lot of their meat from Mindanao.
This facility will provide good competition for that because it will be cheaper for
meat traders to use our slaughterhouse instead, because of the savings in
transport cost.
About a year ago, the old slaughterhouse was featured on national
television. Sad to say, it was not positive at all. The dilapidated structures,
inadequate instruments and equipment, and the general unsanitary conditions
were the focus of the presentation that was viewed all over the country. But after
all is said and done, what is most important is . . . that now, Bacolodnons will
have cleaner meat from the markets.
The project was inaugurated last August 16, 2008. Initial operations came
with the usual “birth pains” which the contractor is attending to.
As to the complaints of some residents of Barangay 35 whose livelihood
will be disrupted with the closure of the old slaughterhouse, many of them have
been hired by the new slaughterhouse. For those who were not, we will do our
best to help them get back on their feet. To enable these people to have enough
time to adjust to the change in their circumstances, we have mutually agreed with
AVM Bernardo Engineering, Inc. to grant an extension until November 2, 2008
for the closure of the old slaughterhouse.
May we thank the leaders of the Catholic Church led by His Excellency,
Bishop Vicente Navarra, Rev. Fr. Aniceto Buenafe and Rev. Fr. Virgilio Mahinay
for facilitating a dialogue with these affected residents of Barangay 35 and for
helping forge a peaceful resolution of a volatile situation.
This project for a modern and clean slaughterhouse for Bacolod City was
dreamed of in the l990’s yet. Several attempts were already made in the past to