TEMPORARY CLOSURE. Samal, Bataan Mayor Alex Acuzar says on Wednesday (Aug. 10, 2022) he issued temporary closure orders on the operation of two poultry farms for six months due to fly infestation. He also ordered the temporary suspension of the farms' business permits. (Photo by Ernie Esconde)
SAMAL, Bataan – The municipal government here has announced the temporary closure of two poultry farms in the town due to fly infestation.
Mayor Alex Acuzar issued on Wednesday the cease and desist and temporary closure orders on the farms' operation for six months, as well as the temporary suspension of business permit from Aug. 10, 2022 to Jan. 10, 2023 pursuant to provincial and municipal ordinances.
The mayor said upon hearing of the complaints of nearby residents, they conducted an investigation and found out that the poultry farms could not control the influx of flies.
Acuzar said of the six poultry farms in their area, only the two were the subject of many complaints.
Mostly affected, he said, are villagers from Barangays Ibaba and Sapa.
“Although kailangan natin ang negosyo, pero mas mahalaga pa rin ng mga tao lalong-lalo na dahil nakakaapekto ito sa kalusugan. Ang mga langaw ay nagiging sanhi ng sakit at ng quality of living ng mga tao sa paligid. Dahil sa dami ng nagrereklamo, kailangang umaksiyon ang munisipyo (Although we need business, but the people is more important, especially because it affects the health. The flies cause sickness and affect the quality of living of the people in the surrounding. Because of too many complaints, the municipal government needs to take action),” the mayor said in an interview.
Acuzar said he does not want to close any establishment but the poultry farms should follow municipal and provincial ordinances.
He also asked residents to be responsible for the cleanliness of their surroundings.
“Kahit ipasara ang manukan kung hindi malinis ang paligid ay magbi-breed pa rin ang langaw. Sana sa atin din magsimula at panatilihing malinis ang kapaligiran (Even if the poultry is closed but the surrounding is not clean, the flies will still breed. I hope we can also start and keep the environment clean),” Acuzar said.
Residents welcomed the move of their mayor who is on his first term.
“Grabe ang dami ng langaw sa amin at kaya lang kaunti ngayon ay gawa nang nag-spray ako ng insecticide. Hindi kami makakain ng maayos at minsan ay nagkukulambo kami para makakain at kinukulambuan namin ang aming pagkain (There were too many flies in our place and the reason that there are only few now is because we sprayed insecticide. We could not eat well and sometimes, we used nets just to be able to eat and we cover our foods with nets),” Virginia Mosquera said.
The elderly woman claimed many of the residents had gotten sick because of the flies.
Rochelle de Guzman, another resident in the area, said the poultry farms help the community but welcome the decision of the mayor.
“Kaya nga lang ang bunga nito ay napeperwisyo ang aming lugar pati na ang malalapit pang barangay ng langaw. Kung ipapasarado ang poultry ay okay lang sa amin (But the result of this is that our place is getting pestered by flies, even the nearby villages. It is alright for us for the poultry farms to be closed),” she said. (PNA)
