By Minerva Newman CEBU CITY -- The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Central Visayas has fined a piggery farm in Pinamungajan, Cebu, P150,000 for emitting a foul odor and discharging its wastewater to a nearby river. Excelsior Farms, Inc., a large-scale piggery designed to house 20,000 heads, was the subject of complaints from neighbors several months ago, according to the EMB press statement given to Manila Bulletin. EMB Regional Director William Cunado said his office received several complaints against the piggery farm for allegedly discharging wastewater to the Ulbujan River and odor emanating from the farm. Cunado sent a team to collect water samples from the river and check the farm’s odor mitigation measures in April and May this year. The team confirmed that the farm violated Republic Act 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 and the Presidential Decree 1586 or the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System, Cunado said. The fine was contained in a resolution of EMB issued after a Technical Conference last May 6 attended by the management of Excelsior Farms. The management of the farm signed a commitment to pay the fine on or before May 21, Cunado said. Aside from the fine, the management also committed: • To solve or minimize the pollution in its area for a specific period of time. • To remove the wastewater stored beneath the buildings which caused offensive odor and have the wastewater be treated by its biodigester. • To contract a third-party hauler to remove the wastewater. • To built a sand filter with a capacity of 180 cubic meters (m3) as start-up to remove sludge in the wastewater. Cunado said Excelsior Farms was required to submit daily progress report to EMB through e-mail. Failure to comply will result to an additional penalty in the amount of P50,000 for every day of its operation, or the issuance of a Cease and Desist Order (CDO). According to Cunado the farm was issued an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) docketed ECC-R07-1505-0073 by EMB-7 on May 5, 2015. It was also issued a valid Discharge Permit last Jan. 9.