March 28, 2024

Four hograisers in St. Joseph Barangay were issued notices of violation by the City Environment and Parks Management Office on March 2.
Cepmo personnel together with a barangay official and two police officers from the Baguio City Police Station 3 inspected alleged hograisers in St. Joseph based on a concerned citizens complaint.
In a highly-urbanized city like Baguio, hog-raising is not allowed based on the city’s Environment Code; Republic Act 8749 or the Clean Air Act; and Republic Act 9275 or the Philippine Water Act, among others.
Last month, seven piggeries operating at Fairview barangay were also subjected to a joint inspection by the Cepmo and the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office for unsanitary and improper disposal of piggery and domestic waste along the creek at Purok 7, Sunnyside causing unpleasant smell along the area.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong issued a stern warning to Baguio residents who continue to violate laws and regulations prohibiting hog-raising in the city.
“This is the final warning otherwise we will already file criminal charges against them (hog raisers),” he said.
In the inspection of Cepmo for the first two months of the year, there are nearly 300 hograisers with more than 1,500 pigs monitored and issued with notices of violations.
These hograisers were monitored from 27 barangays out of the 128 barangays in the city.  
CVAO head Dr. Silardo Bested, in a media forum, said the hog-raisers were already warned not to continue with their operations in 2019 and most complied with the order but many resumed during the community quarantine.
He said there is no other recourse but to strictly enforce the city’s policy of no hog-raising and that no request for extensions will be approved. – Jessa Mardy P. Samidan