The city government has assured residents of sufficient livestock supply as it intensifies meat inspections to protect consumers from unsafe products.

Data from the Local Economic Enterprise Office showed that the city slaughterhouse processed 66,615 hogs, 773 cattle and 5,369 carabaos from January to mid-October this year.

The data also showed a gradual monthly increase in the number of hogs processed at the facility.

“Our supply is okay. There are also imports coming in, which we cannot control at the local government level because shipment approvals are handled nationally,” Iloilo City Veterinarian Dr. Fernando Abulencia said in a media interview Friday.

Abulencia said the city government is strengthening meat safety inspections, including stricter monitoring of illegal slaughtering and sale of uninspected meat, to protect public health.

“We have regular joint inspections with the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS),” he said.

Abulencia also expressed hope that the city council would pass an ordinance imposing penalties on those selling contaminated meat. He noted that some violators continued selling so-called “hot meat,” or meat from animals slaughtered without proper inspection, even after being apprehended.

“An executive order has no penal provision. Once our ordinance is approved, we will not only penalize the seller but also those who patronize buying the hot meat,” he said.

Meanwhile, the NMIS will conduct a series of activities for the 33rd Meat Safety Consciousness Week from Oct. 19 to 25, including advocacy seminars on hygienic meat handling and enforcement operations in various markets to check compliance with food safety standards.

This year’s celebration carries the theme “One Mission, One Commitment: Safety and Quality for All.” (PNA)