A memorandum of agreement for the completion and operation of the Bacolod City Slaughterhouse in Brgy. Handumanan, Bacolod City was signed between the city government and AVM Bernardo Engineering yesterday.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia formally signed the MOA in behalf of the city government, while AVM Bernardo was represented by engineer Antonio Valeriano Bernardo.

"This is a momentous event in the history of Bacolod and we believe the project will again enhance the performance of the city as a local government," Leonardia said.

He said it was made possible because of the support and cooperation of Vice Mayor Renecito Novero, and the members of the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod.

Also present during the signing were Councilors Napoleon Cordova, Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Homer Bais and Greg Gasataya, City Veterinarian Dr. Adelo Daroy, City Planning head Arch. Lemuel Reynaldo, Secretary to the Mayor and Task Force Abattoir chairman Roger Balo, among others.

Leonardia said AVM Bernardo is investing P54 million for the rehabilitation of the slaughterhouse. He said the structure was initially constructed in 2001 by then Bacolod Rep. John Orola to the tune of P19.5 million.

He said the city is estimated to earn P3.13 million in regulatory fees in the first year of operation of the new slaughterhouse, aside from the rental payment of AVM Bernardo.

Leonardia said he will send the MOA to the SP immediately so it can be ratified. He said this is in line with his administration's thrust to move the city forward.

He said that, when AVM Bernardo gets the notice to proceed, it will start work after six months although he has asked them if they could start earlier than that.

Balo said this is another milestone in the history of Bacolod which so happens to be realized under the present administration.

He said the project in Handumanan was turned over to the city in 2003 and the depreciation of the building is estimated at P585,000 a year. While there were initiatives taken by the previous administrations to operate the project, they had not been able to, for one reason or another, he said.

Balo said that, in the existing slaughterhouse in Brgy. 35, the city is averaging an expense of P7.3 million per year from 2001-2004, while its income in revenues for the same period is P1.3 million.

He said the city loses an average of about P6.7. million per year in the operation of the present slaughterhouse since the regulatory fees it is charging the meat vendors was established in 1974 yet and had never been upgraded.

On the first operating year of the new slaughterhouse with a rental fee of P480,000 a year and regulatory fees of P2.6 million, the city will earn P3.1 million instead of losing of P6 million annually, he said.

Leonardia said Balo is now studying what to do with the present slaughterhouse in Brgy. 35.

Bernardo said "Finally we will be able to extend our technical expertise to Bacolod after courting it for nine years." He said they have been doing food equipment manufacturing for the last 15 years and have set up 31 slaughterhouses all over the country.

"We have done food processing facility in Europe and Southeast Asia," Bernardo said. He was accompanied by the company's legal counsel, Ernie Urbano.

Bernardo said they will do their best also to come up with other peripheral businesses to help generate labor and create more and new entrepreneurs in Bacolod in order to help improve the city's business atmosphere.

Balo said most of the employees currently working at the existing slaughterhouse will be given preference by AVM Bernardo.

Bernardo said they will need an average of 50 to 75 personnel. He said they have a standard procedure in employing people and those qualified will be taken in.

Balo said the project will be operated by AVM Bernardo for 20 years and will rehabilitate it under the Build-Operate-Transfer scheme.

Councilor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, vice chairman of the Committee on Markets, said that, as a highly urbanized city, it is just proper that Bacolod runs a mechanized double-A slaughterhouse. "It means that our local manufacturers can now export their meat outside the city, he said."*CGS

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