The Department of Trade and Industry and the city government formally launched and turned over a P3.7-million shared service facility for meat processing at Slaughterhouse Compound last March 25 to support medium, small, and micro enterprises.
Entirely funded by the DTI with the city government as cooperator, the project will be managed by the Baguio City Farmers Cooperative (BCFC) headed by former City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) chief Brigit Piok as beneficiaries.
DTI Baguio-Benguet Director Samuel Gallardo, said the facility hopes to improve the quality of the city’s meat products; make Baguio known as a source of quality meat products; and help local MSMEs engaged in meat processing.
He said the DTI has already provided around P20M for the establishment of similar projects in the past 10 years to help local entrepreneurs.
DTI-CAR Director Juliet Lucas said the big-scale project requires daily supply of meat and encouraged the beneficiaries to do their best so that the facility will not become a white elephant.
“The product is very marketable because most people in the city and the region love eating meat,” Lucas said.
Piok said the BCFC will do its best to make the project a success as she asked for the continued support of the DTI and the city government in terms of trainings.
CVAO head Silardo Bested assured his office’s support to the BCFC and thanked the DTI and Mayor Benjamin Magalong who requested for the facility two years ago from then DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez. – Gaby B. Keith
April 30, 2024
