Naga residents cry foul over plant odor

A MILITANT group is urging government agencies to check the disposal waste facility of a plant in Sitio Upper Soton, Barangay Pangdan, Naga City.

Dennis Darige, coordinator of Partidong Manggagawa (PM), said that Fresh Cuts Agri Cebu Corporation has no proper disposal waste facility, causing foul odor in nearby areas.

“This has also caused health problems to some residents, especially the children. Some are already sick,” Darige told Cebu Daily News.

Yesterday, around 79 residents from Barangays Pangdan and Cantao-an held a protest rally outside the establishment.

As of yesterday, CebuDaily News was still trying to contact the company to comment on the issue.

“They just cut the meat while yung mga balahibo and laman tinatapon lang sa likod o gilid ng planta,” Darige said.

He also raised concern that a river near the establishment might also be contaminated.

“We have raised this one to the local government, but there was less action taken. Now we are moving to the regional level,” Darige said.

Next week, PM together with the affected residents would be filing their complaints before the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7, National Meat Inspection and the Department of Health (DOH) 7.

Jessica Banzon-Natad, information officer of City of Naga, said that City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) inspected Fresh Cuts on October 20, 2016, due to the complaint of foul odor.

Last December 15, 2016, Fresh Cuts submitted its corrective and preventive action plan.

“Cenro is supposed to conduct an inspection next week to assess if the company has complied with their commitment to address the issue on foul odor by Jan. 28, 2017,” Natad said in an e-mail sent to Cebu Daily News.

The City of Naga will also issue a show-cause order today and will ask the company to explain their side why this should not be closed.

“If after 10 days, they still fail to address the problem, specifically the foul odor, the city government will issue a cease and desist order. However, we are still confident that Fresh Cuts will comply with its long-term plan to expand the capacity of its waste water treatment facility by March 15, 2017,” she added.

Natad said that while City Government of Naga’s concern is the welfare of their constituents, they also listen to the needs of their investors.
“That is why as much as possible, we give them time to comply with their commitment,” she added. /Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag