ORMOC CITY – Egg layer poultry farm in Barangay Valencia, this city, received on Monday, July 11, 2022, a cease-and-desist order (CDO) from LGU-Ormoc’s Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO), headed by Environmental Management Specialist, Forester Rosilyn Sanchez, accordingly, for failing to acquire a proof of operation or right to operate permit and without adhering to various governmental provisions.

The farm is said to be owned by Mary Rose Arguelles of the said village.

Sanchez in an interview clarified that the farm was given the CDO because it did not have a permit to operate, saying, “Gipa-stop siya og operate kay in the first place wala man jud siya right to operate kay wala man siya’y permit.”

The order is said to be based on the findings of an inspection conducted by ENRO sometime Wednesday, July 6, 2022 wherein the said office found the farm to have violated several governmental regulations to include violations of Presidential Decree 856 or the Sanitation Code of the Philippines; Presidential Decree 1586, Establishing an Environmental Impact Statement System; Executive Order No. 648 which governs the Processing of Applications for Locational Clearance of Poultry and Piggery; and Executive Order No. 28 (Series of 2019), An Executive Order Prescribing the Rules for the Imposition of Administrative Sanction of Suspension and/or Closure of Business Establishments.

On the one hand, the said inspection arose as ENRO’s response to a complaint it received on Tuesday, July 5, from a concerned citizen of the said barangay for alleged fly infestation from the said egg layer poultry farm.

The said inspection was conducted by ENRO-PCMS Head Engineer Jocelyn A. Fiel together with technical staff Josefina T. Ocon and Sangguniang Barangay Member Joniel K. Edullantes of said barangay to verify the complaint. It was thereafter that the group found out that the owner did not conduct a public hearing prior the operation of the egg layer poultry farm and that no single permit was secured by the owner for the operation of the farm, which began October 2021. Further, the inspection team discovered that the farm had no prepositioned fly mitigating chemicals or structures and that the poultry is situated in a residential area.

On top of the CDO, ENRO-Ormoc has also recommended to the owner to relocate the egg layer poultry farm at least at a distance of 500 meters from the built-up areas; that the owner conduct a public hearing before resuming the egg layer operation in the new location; and finally, that the owner secure all required environmental and business permits for it to be able to legally resume its operations.

“Kinahanglan siya mokuha og permit before mo-resume iya operation kay the more nga mag-operate siya without permit, maka cause man gud og adverse environmental impact iyang operation kay mahulog man gud siya nga illegal operator and unregulated ang iyang activity,” explained Sanchez, adding, “Environmentally critical ang iyang operation kay when you have chickens, mangiti, and kanang iti source sa langaw.”

Finally, as of this writing, Arguelles is enjoined to show cause within 15 days from receipt of the CDO letter. (By Gwen Maurillo, EV Mail July 11-17, 2022 Issue)