Moises Padilla bans illegal imported meat sales

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The municipal government of Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental has ordered stricter regulation of the entry, storage, and retail sale of imported meat and meat products following reported cases of illegal trading, technical smuggling, and unauthorized selling in public markets, satellite markets, and online platforms.

Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo issued Executive Order No. 293 on Monday, prohibiting the illegal and unauthorized sale of imported meat and meat products without the necessary permits and clearances within the town.

Yulo said in the order that Moises Padilla, as a pink zone, is actively enforcing preventive measures to protect the local hog and livestock industries from animal diseases.

The mayor said the move is intended to protect public health, safety, and welfare.

Prohibited acts under the order include the sale and improper handling of imported meat without a valid Certificate of Meat Inspection issued by the National Meat Inspection Service, as well as a business permit or mayor’s permit from the town.

The order also prohibits the sale and improper handling of imported meat that is expired, undocumented, or sourced from countries or regions banned by the Department of Agriculture because of disease outbreaks.

It also bans the sale of thawed or mishandled frozen meat as fresh meat outside temperature-controlled, sanitary stalls and cold storage facilities.

Yulo said imported meat and meat products, particularly pork and poultry, must pass strict quarantine inspections by the Bureau of Animal Industry and the National Meat Inspection Service to ensure they are free from transboundary animal diseases such as African swine fever.

The order cited Republic Act No. 9296, or the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines, and Republic Act No. 10611, or the Food Safety Act of 2013, which mandate the regulation of food products, including meat, to protect the public from health hazards and ensure food safety.

A municipal task force was created to monitor public markets, supermarkets, and private warehouses in the town.

The task force is composed of representatives from the Municipal Agriculture Office, Municipal Health Office, Municipal Police Station, Municipal Economic Enterprise and Development Office, and the town’s 15 barangays.

Imported meat or meat products found displayed or sold without permits and certification will be immediately confiscated by the task force.

The confiscated products will be subject to immediate condemnation and disposal at the municipal government’s designated disposal facility to prevent threats to public health and the local livestock population.

African swine fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs and has prompted local governments in the Philippines to tighten border controls and meat inspection measures.