Tuba outs piggery contract; Baguio City gov’t backs out

By Aileen P. Refuerzo 

TUBA, Benguet -- Officials of this town rejected for the second time the Baguio City government’s plan to set up a contract piggery farm here.

Due to this the city government backed out from the venture.

In Baguio, Mayor Benjamin Magalong told the city management committee meeting Tuesday the city will instead look for other livelihood programs where they can infuse the P12 million grant from the Dept. of Agriculture initially reserved for the centralized farm to relocate urban hog raisers.

Talks between the two local government units failed to take off Feb. 15 just as the city was about to plan for the ground-breaking ceremonies after noting progress on the acceptability of the project among the residents of San Pascual barangay following a series of consultations and a farm visit in Tarlac and Pangasinan.

It was the second time that negotiations between Magalong and Tuba Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan broke down; the first involved another lot due to issues on land and water pollution, location, accessibility, ownership, additional funding and other matters cropped up in July last year. 

The second deal was for a lot in San Pascual whose owner already entered into a usufruct agreement with the city government to allow its use for the Department of Agriculture-bankrolled modern piggery farm.

The mayor tasked City Veterinarian Dr. Brigit Piok whose office now includes the agriculture division to work out with the DA the possible realignment of the grant to other livelihood opportunities possible button mushroom production and other communal projects beneficial to the residents.