Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) president and Quirino governor Dax Cua backs the call to designate a public veterinarian in all local government units to help curb rabies infection in the country.
“Having a municipal veterinarian is crucial not only in responding to the threat of rabies, but also in ensuring that farmers and other citizens have easy access to services for their livestock and pets,” Cua said.
From 2020 to 2024, the DOH logged a total of 1,750 rabies deaths.
University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Veterinary Medicine Dean Dr. Maria Amelita Estacio said that having a veterinarian at the municipal, city and provincial levels allows LGUs to plan and implement programs addressing animal welfare, prevention and treatment of animal diseases, including rabies, African swine fever and avian influenza.
Estacio also said that rabies prevention, in particular, requires organized and sustained vaccination campaigns, which can only be effectively carried out if there is a designated point person in charge of animal health.
According to Cua, the continued prevalence of rabies cases in the country underlines the need to have a local official spearheading animal health campaigns.
“Public veterinarians are important in upholding our public health agenda, particularly in ensuring food safety and disease control. Hindi lang usapin ng pagbabakuna ang saklaw ng responsibilidad nila, kundi pati na rin ang pagsagawa ng mga awareness campaign at pagbigay ng tulong-teknikal sa mga magsasaka, livestock at poultry producers,” the governor said.
He added that addressing the threat of rabies requires not only conducting regular vaccination drives, but also efforts to debunk myths about rabies that are deeply entrenched in communities.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), the country tallied 260 rabies cases from Jan. 1 to Sept. 20, 2025. The agency noted that 95 percent of these infections were linked to animals that were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status.
From 2020 to 2024, the DOH logged a total of 1,750 rabies deaths. Rabies Awareness Month is observed every March.
