Joint cmte tackles proposal to create meat inspection div

THE proposed ordinance creating the City Meat Inspection Services Division of the City Veterinary Office was thoroughly discussed by the joint committees on agriculture and fisheries and on health and sanitation and health insurance chaired by Councilors Maria Lourdes S. Gaane and Annie Y. Daba.

During its meeting last Tuesday presided over by Councilor Gaane and Councilor Jay R. Pascual, vice-chair of the committee on agriculture, Dr. Darryl Rasay of City Veterinary Office said personnel needed for the creation of the said division are already in place. The Meat Inspection Division is already functional, he added.

It was learned that the proposal to create the division was not yet submitted to the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO).

Sharona Mangahas of the HRMO said the technical working group must first submit the organization structure of the proposed division, including vacant and existing positions for review.

It may be recalled that the joint committee created a Technical Working Group (TWG) to study and finalize the draft of the ordinance.

The Power learned that the TWG is still reviewing the proposal and scope of the proposed division.

INSPECTION CODE

Rubiconceasar Agcopra of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), member of the TWG, said before creating a division, the TWG agreed to first draft a Meat Inspection Code.

The proposed inspection code is needed to support the creation of the division, he explained.

In response to the query of Councilor Gaane, Atty. Vladett Castro of City Legal Office said the inspection code is necessary to incorporate provisions such as functions and personnel, among others.

“Didto na ibutang ang functions sa division kay existing man ang personnel pero dili kafunction because walay ordinance kung unsa gyud ilang function”, she stressed.

Dr. Rasay said the TWG will submit the draft of the proposed inspection code by the third week of March. (JBD)