Protecting
Peoples Health
On Thursday morning, August 6,
the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan submitted a proposed ordinance for public
hearing. This is “An ordinance Enacting the Health and Sanitation Code of the
Province of Aklan”.
Several stakeholders attended the
hearing who represented the PHO/DOH, municipal health officers, sanitary inspectors,
funeral parlors, food retailers, hotels and restaurants, ambulant vendors,
airlines, DTI, and media.
Being the author of the proposed
ordinance, Hon. Nelson D. Santamaria presided the public hearing held in the SP
Session Hall, Capitol, Kalibo, Aklan. With their comments and suggestions all
those who were present agreed with the proposed “Health and Sanitation Code”.
The proposed code is of 60 pages
printed on long bond paper, double space. It consists of several provisions. I
was looking for the rationale of the proposed ordinance, but I didn’t find any.
I just assumed that this proposed code will be executed to improve further the
level of Health and Sanitation among Aklanons and Aklan. It defined 369 terms
as used in the proposed ordinance which occupied 26 pages of the total 60
pages.
I was specially attracted in
Section 115. It concerns piggery, poultry and other livestock/animal farms
operating in Aklan. Aklan has an effective daily chicken meat consumption of
about 7,500 kilograms. But Aklan has no commercial poultry farm which produces
chicken meat except that of former Governor Carlito S. Marquez’ poultry farm.
But its production is not enough. Aklan does not produce chicken egg.
Hence, all the eggs eaten daily
in Aklan are all imported. Moreover, about 90 percent of chicken meat are also
imported.
I recommended that commercial
poultry and other livestock projects be located in suitable locations. LGU
agricultural technicians be specially assigned to the projects to assist the
project owners to sincerely apply scientific method of poultry and other
livestock production. Livestock operators must be assisted in their livestock
project to improve egg and meat production, improve sanitation and produce
other products such as liquefied petroleum gas, and liquid fertilizer. In case
of any problem in the poultry and livestock project, the solution is to follow
scientific farming method, NOT CLOSURE which was resorted to in the past that
led to the annihilation of poultry projects in Aklan.
Irrigation Services
Another provincial ordinance
heard is “An Ordinance Providing Basic Policies, Rules and Regulations To
Ensure The Continued And Efficient Operation Of Irrigation Services In The
Province Of Aklan. The hearing was presided by its author and sponsor, Hon.
Emmanuel Soviet Russia A. Dela Cruz. Those who participated in the hearing are
representatives of irrigators association, NIA, Office of the Provincial
Agriculturist, Aklan, LGUs Agricultural Office, Liga Ng Mga Barangay, SB
Committee on Food and Agriculture and media.
The order of hearing started with
the usual opening ceremony, opening statement of Vice Gov. Gabrielle V.
Calizo-Quimpo, and brief statement from the sponsor, Hon. Soviet Dela Cruz who
presided the hearing. He requested those invited stakeholders to briefly give
their position statements. Interaction followed that enabled the participants
to give their reactions and recommendations. However, deep seated resentments
were articulated specially on the lack of water when badly needed.
On the whole, the proposed
ordinance is highly welcomed as it is long overdue.
Hon. Dela Cruz requested me to
give my recommendations to further improve the ordinance. My first
recommendation is the prevention from using irrigation dikes as public toilet.
It is not only ugly, but also unhealthy. I also recommended the following:
1. No plants must be planted on irrigation dikes to prevent soil
erosion. Only “Calopogonium” must be planted to prevent soil erosion on
irrigation dikes. Calopogonium is a leguminous plant, a vine and will continue
growing for years;
2. Illegal structures that
imped the flow of water must be removed immediately or not more than 10 days
after notice is served;
3. The strict and thorough implementation of the said ordinance
must be assigned to the irrigators association for communal irrigation projects
and to the National Irrigation Administration for irrigation system under NIA
management.
In the interaction process, it
appeared that there are more rice land area than the capacity of the present
irrigation system to supply adequate water in time of needs. Its inadequate
water supply reduces rice production per unit area per season. It must be
remembered that rice is hydrophonic plant. It will not bear grain if water is
lacking. According to IRRI, to produce one (1) kilogram of palay, it needs 1500
kilograms of water from land preparation up to the ripening stage of palay.
Hence, Aklan LGU needs to
identify the rice areas which can be supplied fully with water. Those without
sufficient water must be identified and be planted to high value crops such as
fruit trees. Those trees will also serve as windbreaks, prevent soil erosion
and store of water. Trees will improve ecology and give more income to the
owners. /MP
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