ALUBIJID, Misamis Oriental Vice Mayor Rhanndy Akut said the local government unit is expected to hold an emergency meeting with all poultry farm operators.
This, after Environmental Management Bureau of Region X (EMB-X) Regional Director Reynaldo S. Digamo has issued an Omnibus Order suspending the Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs) of all poultry farms operating in the Municipality of Alubijid, Misamis Oriental, and directing to immediately Cease and Desist their operations, following a string of fly infestation and foul odor complaints from residents.
In an interview, Akut feared that the closure will affect the poultry supply of the whole province as well as the livelihood of the hundreds of persons who are employed in these farms as well as their families.
Alubijid is host to 17 large poultry farms which account for the majority of the supply of the province.
The decision comes after a year-long surge in grievances from various barangays in Alubijid, namely Taparak, Sampatulog, Lourdes, and Talaba, implicating at least 17 poultry farms in the proliferation of house flies and associated odor pollution, negatively impacting the health, environment and overall quality of life of surrounding communities.
Akut said that farm operators need to resolve the problem of fly infestation immediately so the EMB order would be lifted.
Complaints began as early as April 2024, when a concerned resident filed the first documented case through the DENR Secretary’s Office, followed by numerous others submitted by affected individuals and community representatives. One formal complaint was also lodged by a legal counsel on behalf of several residents. In response, the EMB-X issued Notices of Violation (NOVs) and directives to poultry operators to implement fly control measures and improve waste management practices.
However, the problem persisted. Field monitoring revealed that harvesting cycles and poor housekeeping practices led to the displacement of fly populations from one poultry farm to another, exacerbating the situation across the municipality.
Thus, in light of the ongoing environmental nuisance and failure of poultry operators to implement long-term mitigation measures, EMB-X has exercised its authority under PD 1586 and relevant environmental laws to suspend ECCs and halt all operations. The directive cites the Revised Procedural Manual of DAO 30, series of 2003, which allows the DENR to suspend ECCs and issue Cease and Desist Orders (CDOs) in cases of severe environmental damage, even when violations cannot be linked to specific environmental laws.
Further, the Order urges the Local Government Unit of Alubijid to suspend business permits of the affected poultry farms and work closely with EMB-X in convening a technical conference with the farm operators to craft a comprehensive and lasting solution.
The EMB-X reiterates that the protection of public health, environmental integrity, and the general welfare of communities remains of paramount concern. RD Digamo said, “This is just the beginning and other municipalities in the region hosting poultry projects experiencing the same problems will follow very soon.”
