Managing a neighborhood means balancing property rights with the right to a clean and healthy environment. In the Philippines, backyard hog raising is a common livelihood, but when it becomes a source of foul odors, flies, and water pollution, it transitions from a "backyard project" to a legal nuisance.

If you are dealing with unsanitary pigpens in your community, here is a comprehensive legal guide on how to address the issue through the Local Government Unit (LGU).

1. The Legal Basis: Why it’s Illegal

Before filing a complaint, it is helpful to understand the laws that protect you. You aren’t just complaining about a smell; you are asserting your legal rights under:

The Civil Code of the Philippines (Article 694): Defines a nuisance as any act, omission, establishment, or condition of property that injures or endangers the health or safety of others, or is offensive to the senses.
The Code on Sanitation of the Philippines (P.D. 856): Sets strict standards for waste disposal and livestock handling. It explicitly prohibits keeping animals in a manner that creates unsanitary conditions.
The Clean Water Act (R.A. 9275): Prohibits the discharge of untreated wastewater (like pig waste) into drainage systems or water bodies.
Local Zoning Ordinances: Most cities and first-class municipalities have ordinances prohibiting livestock raising in residential zones (R-1 or R-2).

2. Step-by-Step Reporting Process

Step 1: Barangay Conciliation (Katarungang Pambarangay)

Under Philippine law, most disputes between neighbors must first undergo mediation at the Barangay level.

Action: File a formal complaint at the Barangay Hall.
Process: The Lupong Tagapamayapa will summon the owner of the hogs for a confrontation.
Goal: Reach an amicable settlement (e.g., the neighbor agrees to clean the pens daily, reduce the number of heads, or relocate the pigs within 30 days).

Step 2: Inspection by the City/Municipal Health Office

If the Barangay cannot resolve the issue, or if the owner refuses to comply, proceed to the LGU's Sanitation Office or City/Municipal Health Office (CHO/MHO).

Request a Sanitary Inspection.
A Sanitary Inspector will visit the site to check for proper waste management, drainage, and odor levels.
Outcome: If they find violations, they will issue a Notice of Violation and a "Notice to Correct."

Step 3: Involvement of the City/Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO/MENRO)

If the hog raising involves illegal discharge of waste into public canals or rivers, the Environment Office has the authority to intervene. They can impose fines based on local environmental codes and the Clean Water Act.

Step 4: The Office of the Mayor

If the nuisance persists despite notices from the Health Office, you can file a formal letter of complaint to the Mayor’s Office. The Mayor has the power to:

Revoke any existing permits (if any).
Issue a Cease and Desist Order.
Order the Abatement of Nuisance, which may involve the physical removal of the animals.

3. Evidence Gathering

To ensure your complaint is acted upon quickly, provide the following:

Photographs/Videos: Document the proximity of the pigpens to your house, the accumulation of waste, and any flies or drainage issues.
Affidavits: Statements from other affected neighbors to prove that the nuisance is "public" (affecting a community) rather than just "private."
Logbook: A record of dates and times when the odor is most unbearable.

4. Key Considerations: "Backyard" vs. "Commercial"

The Department of Agriculture (Administrative Order No. 06, 2012) defines backyard farms as having:

1 to 20 heads of adult pigs, OR
2 to 40 heads of intermediate pigs.

Even if the farm qualifies as "backyard," it is not exempt from sanitation laws. If the area is zoned as residential, the LGU can order the total removal of the hogs regardless of how many there are.

5. Summary of Remedies

Action	Authority	Expected Result
Mediation	Barangay Lupong Tagapamayapa	Amicable settlement/Agreed cleanup
Sanitary Inspection	City/Municipal Health Office	Notice of Violation / Fine
Environmental Check	CENRO / MENRO	Fines for water/air pollution
Abatement	Office of the Mayor	Closure of the pigpen / Relocation

Note: If the LGU remains inactive, the final recourse is filing a civil action for Abatement of Nuisance in court, or filing an administrative case against the LGU officials for "Grave Misconduct" or "Neglect of Duty" before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Would you like me to draft a formal letter of complaint addressed to a City Health Officer?