The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-6 has opened an investigation into the alleged spoiled meat delivered for its supplemental feeding program in Sibalom, Antique.

The pork meat, along with other goods, were distributed to different barangays so they can be prepared for children in Day Care Centers.

However, according to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), up to 40 of the town’s 81 barangays complained that the pork delivered was spoiled.

The meat received by day care workers in Barangay Tigbalua 1, for example, reportedly smelled bad and had parts that have turned green.

“Dismayado dahil maliban sa hindi safety ang mga bata, ang anak ko diyan din nag-aaral. Kaya medyo dumagdag sa aking reaksyon. What if pati anak ko nakakain?” said the barangay captain of Tigbalua 1, Raymond Cambong.

According to MSWDO, the meat was still in good condition when sent out for delivery. However, the meat was not frozen and may have been affected by the hot weather.

According to DSWD-6, the meat was supplied by local hog raisers in the town of Patnongon.

The hog raisers have a meat inspection certificate and have fulfilled other requirements.

The hog raisers also said that the meat they supplied was fresh.

“According sa kanila (supplier), they went through the process talaga, ang protocol sa pagpapakatay. Basically, sa slaughterhouse talaga,” said Maria Noema Castromayor, focal person of the supplementary feeding program of DSWD-6.

Ma. Dominga Zaragoza, head of the Sibalom MSWDO said that to ensure freshness, they would hope for the meat to be delivered in the future be frozen or kept in ice.

“Ang isang nakita ko na ipagpatuloy namin na suggestion, ang kanilang (karne) naka-freeze o merong ice na may backup para ma-maintain ang freshness ng karne,” she said.

The spoiled meat has been buried.