Tuba folks hit hog-raisers’ relocation from Baguio

TUBA, Benguet-- Local government unit officials of Baguio and San Pascual, Tuba, Benguet are set to jointly check the Charoen Pokphand Food’s (CPF) technology-operated and modern piggery projects in Concepcion, Tarlac and Mangatarem, Pangasinan this January if such technology could be used in Tuba.

This, following concerns aired by Tuba folks who said relocating hog-raisers from nearby Baguio could destroy the environment of the town.

This was agreed upon during the public consultation at the San Pascual barangay hall earlier on Dec. 13, with Punong Barangay Lorna Runas, barangay kagawads, residents, Tuba municipality officials and Baguio group led by City Social Welfare and Development Officer Betty Fangasan, executive assistant to Mayor Benjamin Magalong Leandro Tabilog and City Veterinarian Silardo Bested.

San Pascual officials and residents insisted on scrutinizing CPF piggery projects, immediate surroundings and community, thus the scheduled farm tour.

CPF representative engineer Emil Mangera assured San Pascual Tuba residents that since the establishment of Thailand-based CPF farms in the Philippines in 2008, sanitary standards were set for pollution-free hog-raising projects.

Our model pig farms are community and environment-friendly, with bio-security, climate control system, waste management and water treatment facilities, Mangera added.

The relocation of hog-raising farms from Baguio to San Pascual, Tuba, Benguet is in compliance with a national law which prohibits said livelihood project in highly urbanized areas.

Piggeries were seen as major sources of pollution in city rivers including Balili and Ambalanga, where studies done by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) point out of coliform invasion, numbering to billions and much more than those in other highly urbanized areas.

According to Fangasan,  hog-raisers were given enough time to seek relocation for their piggeries, with a fund allocation of P10 million from the Department of Agriculture (DA), and technical expertise from the City Veterinary Office, City Engineers and City Building and Architecture Office (CBAO).

Accordingly, an underground treatment facility which converts waste through shielded tubes to biogas is included in the farm lay-out.

In turn, methane gas conversion is done through fermentation, and further into electricity for farm operation. Desludging with organic fertilizer as by-product is done weekly, Mangera said.

For waste water, the liquid undergoes 45 to 60 days natural process treatment in three highly dense polyethelyne plastic covered interconnected tank pits which renders it fit for farm water, considering its nitrogen content.

According to Mangera, the water could also be used for fishpond, but not for animal or human consumption.

The piggery building which has 1,200 fatteners shall be surrounded by plants for air and water absorption, in a one-hectare fenced area.

The proposed area is the subject to a usufruct agreement which after ten years, after evaluation by concerned agencies may or may not be renewed.

City-based hog-raisers through the Baguio Animal Raisers cooperative (BARaCo) led by Julie Mangigil were present during the forum.

Fangasan earlier headed a technical working group which assessed sites in Sablan and Tuba which could not comply with set requirements. – Julie G. Fianza