Section 2 (extract):
"abattoir" means any premises approved and licensed in which animals or poultry are slaughtered, and includes any place available in connection with those premises for the confinement of animals or poultry awaiting slaughter in those premises
"poultry" means chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese or any other bird that the Minister may prescribe for the purposes of this Act;

Regulation 2 (extract):
"animal" means-
(a) any domestic animal of the following species-
(i) bovine animals,
(ii) swine,
(iii) sheep,
(iv) goats, and
(v) equines; and
(b) farmed game;

Regulation 5 (extract):
(11) In granting a licence in respect of any premises, the Director may make it subject to the species of animal which may be slaughtered or processed there.

Section 3 (extract):
(1) No person shall operate an abattoir unless the abattoir is registered with the Director.

Regulation 5 (extract):
(1) No person shall use any premises as an abattoir, cutting premises, a cold store, a farmed game handling facility or a farmed game meat plant unless those premises are licensed.
(2) A person who wishes to use any premises as an abattoir, cutting premises, a cold store, a farmed game handling facility or a farmed game meat plant shall, in writing, apply to the Director for a licence to do so.

Regulation 20 (extract):
(1) With the exception of the deviation in Regulation5 (5), no bovine, caprine, ovine, swine, equine or farmed game intended for sale within a township or municipality shall be slaughtered in any place other than a licensed abattoir, except on account of accident, illness or other emergency of such an exceptional nature as to render that course necessary; and where, in any such emergency, any bovine, caprine, ovine, swine or equine is slaughtered in any such place, the person ordering or authorising the slaughter of that animal shall forthwith give notice to a VO or an OVS stating particulars of-
(a) the time and place at which the slaughter has taken place or is to take place;
(b) the animal slaughtered or to be slaughtered; and
(c) the reasons for the emergency.

Section 3:
(1) No person shall operate an abattoir unless the abattoir is registered with the Director.
(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P6,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both, or to imprisonment without the option of a fine, and, in the case of a continuous offence, to a fine not exceeding P2,000, for every day during which the offence continues.

First Schedule
1. All abattoirs, cutting premises and cold stores shall have-
(a) a clearly defined boundary;
(b) at places readily accessible to the work station and sanitary conveniences, suitable facilities, that is to say-
(i) an adequate supply (provided otherwise than by taps operable by hand) of potable hot and cold running water, or premixed running water at a suitable temperature, and
sufficient supplies of soap or other detergent for the cleaning and disinfection of hands by persons handling fresh meat, and
(ii) an hygienic means of drying hands;
(c) in rooms where work on fresh meat is undertaken, suitable and sufficient facilities, situated as close as possible to, or readily accessible to, the work stations, for the sterilisation of knives and other hand tools, such facilities to be adequately supplied with water which shall be maintained at a temperature of not less than 82ºC;
(d) adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance at any time, of and sanitary inspections required by these Regulations;
(e) equipment and fittings-
(i) of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material (which shall not be wood, except in rooms where only packaged fresh meat is stored) not liable to taint fresh meat and of such construction as to enable them to be kept clean and disinfected,
(ii) if to be used for handling, storing or transporting fresh meat, so constructed that fresh meat and the base of any receptacles containing such meat do not come into direct contact with the floor and,
(iii) with such surfaces as are likely to come into contact with unpackaged fresh meat kept smooth and clean;
(f) facilities for the hygienic handling and protection of fresh meat during loading and unloading;
(g) suitable and sufficient receptacles with closely fitting covers for collecting and removing all waste and fresh meat not intended for human consumption;
(h) suitable refrigeration equipment to enable the internal temperature of fresh meat to be maintained at not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts, 3ºC for offal and -12ºC for frozen fresh meat, such equipment having a ducted drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of fresh meat;
(i) water, that is to say-
(i) a sufficient, clean and potable supply of hot and cold water, or water premixed to a suitable temperature, available at an adequate pressure,
(ii) a separate water system that may be used only for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers,
(aa) and so that pipes carrying such water shall be arranged so as not to allow any such water to be used for any other purpose, and
(bb) and all such pipes shall be clearly distinguished from those used for water which is clean and wholesome and shall present no risk of contamination to fresh
meat, and
(iii) if water is stored, fully covered tanks to contain it, which tanks shall be of such construction as to enable them to be emptied and kept clean;
(j) satisfactory ducted drainage fitted with gratings and traps for solids, which shall be maintained in proper working order; except that, in rooms provided for the cooling or storage of fresh meat, gratings and traps shall not be required;
(k) an arrangement of rooms so that-
(i) they are suitable, sufficient and adequately equipped for persons working in the premises to change their clothes and wash their hands, and sanitary conveniences,
separate from any part of the premises which at any time contain fresh meat,
(ii) there are washbasins with soap available with an adequate supply (provided otherwise than by taps operated by hand or arm) of potable hot and cold running water, or pre-mixed water at a suitable temperature,
(iii) clean protective clothing is stored separately from other clothing,
(iv) the surfaces of the walls and floors of such rooms are smooth, washable and impermeable, and
(v) any room in which a sanitary convenience is situated shall not communicate directly with any room or area in which any fresh meat is being produced, cut up, handled,
worked on or stored or any room referred to in paragraph 1 (h) of the Second Schedule or paragraph 1 (c) of the Third Schedule;
(l) sufficient and adequately equipped showers which are for the use of persons working in the premises and are situated near the rooms where such persons may change their clothes: Provided that such facilities shall not be required in any cold store in which only packaged fresh meat is handled and stored;
(m) satisfactory and hygienic facilities for the disposal of solid and liquid waste;
(n) suitable facilities for the storage of detergents, disinfectants and similar substances; and
(o) adequate protection against the entry of insects, vermin and birds.
2. Every room in any abattoir, cutting premises or cold store in which fresh meat is produced, worked on, handled or stored and any area in such premises through which fresh meat is transported shall have-
(a) floors and floor surfaces of impermeable, rot proof and non-slip material, which shall be constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and, subject to paragraph 3 of this Schedule, shall be
laid in such a way as to facilitate the drainage of waste water by directing the water towards the drains;
(b) interior wall surfaces faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable and washable material (which shall be of a light colour) to the following heights-
(i) in any of the rooms referred to in subparagraphs 1 (c), (d), (g), (h), (k) (l) and (o) of the Second Schedule, up to a height of not less than three metres or the full height of the room whichever is the lower,
(ii) in any rooms used for the cooling or storage of packaged fresh meat, up to a height of not less than the usable storage height, and
(iii) in any other room in which unpackaged fresh meat is handled, up to a height of not less than two metres;
(c) rounded angles between floor and wall surfaces: Provided that in rooms of any cold stores in which only frozen meat is stored, it shall not be compulsory for such angles to be rounded;
(d) doors and door frames of a hard wearing, corrosion-resistant material with a smooth, impermeable covering on all surfaces;
(e) a ceiling, or where there is no ceiling the interior surface of the roof which is so constructed and finished as to minimise condensation, mould development, flaking and the lodgement of dirt, and which shall be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable it to be
thoroughly cleaned;
(f) insulation materials which are rot proof and odourless,
(g) suitable and sufficient means of ventilation to the external air (except in the case of a humidity-controlled or temperature controlled chamber) including, where necessary, adequate means of steam extraction; (all ventilation systems to be kept at all times in good
working order); and
(h) adequate artificial lighting throughout the slaughter hall and workrooms, which lighting shall not distort colours and shall be of an overall intensity of not less than 220 lux; except that at places where inspection of fresh meat is normally carried out the overall intensity shall be not less than 540 lux.
3. In rooms used for the storage of chilled or frozen fresh meat the directing of water towards drains in accordance with paragraph 2 (a) of this Schedule is not required.
4. In rooms used for chilling or refrigerating fresh meat a device with which water may easily be removed is sufficient.
5. In rooms used for freezing fresh meat, waterproof and rot proof flooring is sufficient.

Regulation 5 (extract):
(5) The Director may, on application by any person, approve and register a place for local slaughtering in rural areas, for a maximum period of one year at a time, if he or she is satisfied that the meat produced is only to be used by the local community: Provided that-
(a) the basic standards of slaughter and hygiene in these Regulations are met and all carcasses are examined by a meat inspector and passed as fit for human consumption or condemned, as appropriate;

Eighth Schedule, Part I:
1. The occupier of any premises shall keep them, or cause them to be kept, in such a state of cleanliness and otherwise so conduct them as to prevent the risk of contamination of any fresh meat in the premises or, in the case of any abattoir, of any blood intended for human consumption, and in particular shall-
(a) ensure that the premises and any plant, equipment, machinery or implements contained in them are not used for any purpose which is not properly connected with the preparation and storage of fresh meat, and that instruments for cutting up such meat are used solely for that purpose;
(b) ensure that fresh meat and the base of receptacles which contain, or may at any time contain, such meat do not come into direct contact with any floors, doors, columns, pillars or any other surfaces of any room;
(c) ensure that fresh meat requiring further examination by a VO, OVS or meat inspector or rejected as unfit for human consumption is handled and transported in a manner avoiding contamination of fresh meat which has been declared fit for human consumption;
(d) ensure that fresh meat or blood intended for human consumption does not come into contact with any fresh meat requiring further examination by a VO, OVS or meat inspector, or rejected as being unfit for human consumption or the inedible by-products of the slaughtering of animals;
(e) ensure that tanks containing water used in the premises are kept fully covered and maintained in a clean state;
(f) where the premises are supplied with water which is only suitable for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers, ensure that any such water is not used for any other purpose;
(g) ensure that all detergents, disinfectants, pesticides and rodenticides used in the premises are of such a kind and are used in such a manner as not to affect the fitness of any fresh meat;
(h) ensure that all equipment and implements which come into contact with fresh meat are kept in a good state of repair, and all fixtures, fittings and equipment are kept clean;
(i) ensure that sawdust or any similar substance is not spread on floors;
(j) ensure that any room, used for the retention of meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption, is cleaned and disinfected as often as may be necessary to maintain it at all times in a satisfactory state of cleanliness and in such condition as to prevent the
absorption of any blood, refuse, filth or other offensive matter; and ensure that, in any event, the wall and floor surfaces of any room in which fresh meat is produced or cut up shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected when such operations are completed for the day;
(k) cause the changing rooms to be kept clean;
(l) ensure that vehicles used for conveying livestock or meat are thoroughly cleansed and disinfected after use in the place provided for such purpose;
(m) cause every sanitary convenience, and the room in which it is situated, to be kept clean; and every such sanitary convenience shall be maintained in efficient working order and be provided with an adequate supply of toilet paper held in a suitable fitting;
(n) ensure that all washing facilities are kept clean and in good working order;
(o) cause a clearly legible notice requesting users to wash their hands after using the convenience to be affixed and maintained in a prominent position near every sanitary convenience;
(p) take all reasonable steps to ensure that no waste, whether solid or liquid, is deposited or allowed to accumulate in premises;
(q) ensure that receptacles (other than manure bays or manure pits) which contain blood, manure, garbage, filth or refuse are kept covered with closely fitting covers; and cause the interior surfaces of any room or other place in which fresh meat or by-products are produced, cut up, handled, stored or packaged; and
(r) ensure that rodents, insects and other vermin are systematically destroyed.
2. (1) No person shall engage in the handling of fresh meat if he is suffering from or suspected of suffering from, or is the carrier of, any disease or condition which may render a person liable to contaminate fresh meat, or is wearing a bandage on the hands or forearms other than a waterproof dressing protecting a non-infected wound.
(2) As soon as any person engaged in the handling of fresh meat or blood intended for human consumption becomes aware that he or she is suffering from, or is the carrier of, such disease or condition, he or she shall forthwith give notice of the fact to the occupier or person in charge of the premises, who, in turn, shall without delay, notify the Medical Authorities.
3. Every person engaged in slaughtering animals or working on or handling fresh meat shall-
(a) wear light coloured footwear and overalls or other suitable clothing, including covering for the hair of the head, and, where necessary, the neck, all of which articles shall, unless disposable, be easily cleanable, reserved exclusively for the use of persons slaughtering
animals or working on or handling exposed or wrapped fresh meat, be clean at the commencement of every working day and renewed during the day, as necessary;
(b) keep as clean as may be reasonably practicable by thorough and frequent washing, in such a manner as to avoid any risk of contamination of fresh meat or blood, of all parts of his or her person or clothing which are liable to come into contact with any fresh meat or blood;
and, in particular, shall wash his or her hands with hot water and soap, or other detergent, frequently during the working day and each time work is started and resumed and shall wash his or her hands and arms in such manner immediately after contact with animals or
fresh meat which he or she knows or suspects to be diseased; and shall not use the same disposable towels more than once to dry hands and arms;
(c) keep any open cuts or abrasions on any exposed part of his or her person covered with a suitable waterproof dressing;
(d) ensure that all equipment and implements which come into contact with fresh meat are cleansed and subsequently sterilised in water at a temperature of not less than 82ºC-
(i) prior to commencement of work,
(ii) frequently during the course of each working day,
(iii) immediately after any contact with fresh meat known or suspected to be diseased,
(iv) before re-use after any break in work and,
(v) at the end of each working day;
(e) before being engaged to slaughter animals or work on or handle unpackaged fresh meat, obtain a medical certificate certifying that there is no objection on public health grounds to such activities and produce every such medical certificate on request to a VO or OVS. Such
a medical certificate must be renewed annually.
4. No person shall-
(a) urinate, defecate or spit in premises where meat is slaughtered or handled, except in a sanitary convenience;
(b) bring into or keep in any part of the premises containing fresh meat any article liable to prejudice the maintenance of hygiene or the proper performance of the functions reserved for that part of the premises;
(c) wipe down any carcass or any offal;
(d) use tobacco in any part of the premises which may contain fresh meat or blood intended for human consumption or while he or she is handling any such meat or blood;
(e) change his or her clothes in any part of the premises which may contain fresh meat;
(f) take any fresh meat or blood intended for human consumption, or any item of equipment which might come into contact with such meat or blood, into a room or other place which contains a sanitary convenience;
(g) bring into, or permit to be brought into, or remain in, the premises, any creature or bring any working dog or permit any such dog to be brought into or remain in any part of any premises used for the production, cutting up, handling or storage of fresh meat or for the storage of
blood intended for human consumption.
5. Every person entering a meat exposed area shall comply with subparagraph 3 (a) of this Part.

Eighth Schedule, Part II:
1. The occupier of every abattoir and farmed game plant shall ensure that-
(a) receptacles provided for holding blood intended for human consumption are clearly identified and used for no other purpose;
(b) any scalding tanks are emptied and washed out as often as is reasonably necessary and thoroughly cleaned at the end of each working day;
(c) prior to postmortem inspection, carcasses or offal do not come into contact with each other and, during chilling, carcasses are so hung as to allow air to circulate freely between the at all times;
(d) the lairage is kept clean and disinfected;
(e) the contents of every receptacle containing blood, and waste and every manure bay are removed from the abattoir or farmed game plant as often as may be necessary to prevent a nuisance, and, in any event, at least once in every two days and, after the contents have
been so removed, the receptacle or bay is thoroughly cleaned before being used again: Provided that the contents of manure pits may remain in the abattoir for more than two days provided that the contents are kept dry, the lairages are operated in a hygienic manner
and the pits, whenever emptied, are thoroughly cleaned before being used again;
(f) hides, skins, horns, hooves, swine’s bristles and fat not intended for human consumption are collected and taken away daily unless they are stored in the room or rooms provided for the storage of such products, and by-products of slaughtering not intended for human
consumption are removed from the premises as often as may be necessary to prevent a public health nuisance;
(g) fresh meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption is removed, as soon as possible, to the room or receptacle provided for the retention of such meat in a manner which avoids any risk of contamination of fresh meat which is intended for human consumption and such accommodation is kept locked, except when it is necessarily opened for the reception and removal of unfit meat or at the request of a VO, OVS or meat inspector for the purpose of the examination and seizure of such meat.
2. In an abattoir or farmed game plant, no person shall, when stirring any blood intended for human consumption, permit his or her hand or other part of his or her person to come into contact with such blood

Eighth Schedule, Part I, 3:
3. Every person engaged in slaughtering animals or working on or handling fresh meat shall-
(a) wear light coloured footwear and overalls or other suitable clothing, including covering for the hair of the head, and, where necessary, the neck, all of which articles shall, unless disposable, be easily cleanable, reserved exclusively for the use of persons slaughtering animals or working on or handling exposed or wrapped fresh meat, be clean at the commencement of every working day and renewed during the day, as necessary;
(b) keep as clean as may be reasonably practicable by thorough and frequent washing, in such a manner as to avoid any risk of contamination of fresh meat or blood, of all parts of his or her person or clothing which are liable to come into contact with any fresh meat or blood;
and, in particular, shall wash his or her hands with hot water and soap, or other detergent, frequently during the working day and each time work is started and resumed and shall wash his or her hands and arms in such manner immediately after contact with animals or
fresh meat which he or she knows or suspects to be diseased; and shall not use the same disposable towels more than once to dry hands and arms;
(c) keep any open cuts or abrasions on any exposed part of his or her person covered with a suitable waterproof dressing;
(d) ensure that all equipment and implements which come into contact with fresh meat are cleansed and subsequently sterilised in water at a temperature of not less than 82ºC-
(i) prior to commencement of work,
(ii) frequently during the course of each working day,
(iii) immediately after any contact with fresh meat known or suspected to be diseased,
(iv) before re-use after any break in work and,
(v) at the end of each working day;
(e) before being engaged to slaughter animals or work on or handle unpackaged fresh meat, obtain a medical certificate certifying that there is no objection on public health grounds to such activities and produce every such medical certificate on request to a VO or OVS. Such
a medical certificate must be renewed annually.

Regulation 26 (extract):
(1) The occupier of any licensed premises-
…
(h) shall ensure that a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector is notified immediately when any information at the occupier’s disposal reveals a serious health risk; and
(i) shall, in the event of a serious health risk, ensure that fresh meat is withdrawn if it has been obtained under or stored in conditions similar to those which produced the risk and is itself likely to present the same risk.

Regulation 27:
(1) A person who contravenes any provision of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and liable-
(a) for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding P1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, and where the offence is a continuing offence, to an additional fine of P500 for each day on which the offence continues; and
(b) for a second or subsequent offence, to a fine of P2,000 or imprisonment for a term of six months and, where the offence is a continuing offence, to an additional fine of P500 for each day on which the offence continues.
(2) On the conviction of any person for any offence under these Regulations, the court may, in addition to any other penalty which it may lawfully impose, cancel or suspend any licence issued to such person which is relevant to the offence committed.