MAYOR ORDERS CLOSURE OF TAHO FACTORY DUE TO UNSANITARY OPERATIONS

October 19, 2024 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY

Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong ordered the closure of a ‘taho’ factory in Lower Brookside due to unsanitary operations and violation of the city’s Environmental Code and City Ordinance No. 571-1973 that prohibits burning. A concerned citizen complained of excessive smoke emanating from a taho factory causing nuisance in the neighborhood.
Personnel from the City Environment and Parks Management Office – Environment Management Division (CEPMO-EMD) together with the City Mayor’s Office – Permits and Licensing Division (PLD) as well as the Public and Order Safety Division (POSD) and barangay officials inspected the taho factory Monday, October 14, 2024.

CEPMO-EMD Supervising Administrative Officer Sofronio Pascua noted the poor compliance of the taho factory on sanitation and environmental laws thus the basis in the issuance of Notice of Violation. “We issued notices of violation on air pollution for using firewood and warning on wastewater pollution with the corresponding penalty since liquid waste is directly discharged into the creek,” Pascua said. At the same time, the mayor ordered the cancellation of business permits issued to two more taho factories in the same area for failure to comply with the recommendation for them to use liquified petroleum gas in cooking instead of burning coconut husks.

The two factories were flagged last year due to unhygienic conditions and for causing air pollution. A Sanitary Order and Notice of Violation were issued to the establishments and owners were directed to comply with sanitation standards and to stop using coconut husks for cooking to avoid excessive smoke. Violations on sanitation may be reported to the division at tel. no. 074-444-9217.

JM Samidan/Baguio-PIO