By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA

The private operator of AVM Bernardo Slaughterhouse has asked the Bacolod City government for a 10-year extension of its build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract to enable the abattoir to recover its investments and losses it suffered during its previous operations.

Aileen Grace Aldeguer, plant manager of AVM in Barangay Handumanan, has already sent a request letter to Mayor Greg Gasataya for extension of authority to operate the facility.

The slaughterhouse’s contract will expire on August 31, 2028.

The request will be forwarded to the Sangguniang Panlungsod for approval.

City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu said they will review the request and prepare a report evaluating the company’s performance under the contract, including its compliance with its obligations and deliverables, before the city government makes a decision.

In her letter, Aldeguer said the slaughterhouse has yet to fully recover its investments and the losses it incurred during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She added that the continued low supply of live animals for slaughter has also affected the company’s operations, prompting the management to seek a contract extension./MAP, WDJ