CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan – In observance of Rabies Awareness Month this March, the Provincial Government of Bulacan, through the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) hosted the first ever nationwide Mass Spay and Castration Project in partnership with the Provincial, City and Municipal Veterinarians League of the Philippines (PCMVLP), Philippine Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA) on Thursday (March 19) at the Provincial Veterinary Office here in this city.
According to Provincial Veterinary Dr. Voltaire G. Basinang, the initiative is anchored on four key advocacy pillars: responsible pet ownership, animal welfare, rabies control and eradication, and the recognition of the indispensable role of veterinarians in public health and community safety.
With the theme “A Rabies-Free Future Starts with Me,” the project conducted a minimum of 3,000 spay and castration procedures on dogs and cats nationwide in a synchronized, single-day campaign, reinforcing the goal of controlling stray populations and preventing rabies transmission and was implemented simultaneously in 22 provinces, 40 cities, and 19 municipalities, including the host Province of Bulacan, covering the cities of Baliwag, Malolos, San Jose Del Monte, and Meycauayan, as well as the municipalities of Pulilan, Santa Maria, Paombong, Bocaue, Norzagaray, and Marilao.
In an Audio-Visual Presentation by Senator Mark Villar, rabies remains a preventable yet fatal public health threat in the Philippines, driven by the rising number of stray and unvaccinated animals, with spay and castration, vaccination, and public awareness seen as key to its elimination.
Meanwhile, as a devoted pet owner who has a special fondness for dogs, Governor Daniel R. Fernando announced the upcoming opening of the Provincial Veterinary Hospital, which will provide free services for pets across the province and also urged Bulakenyos to embrace responsible pet ownership, emphasizing proper care, vaccination, and humane treatment as key steps in promoting both animal welfare and public health.
“Huwag tayong maging tagamasid lamang, kailangan maging bahagi tayo ng solusyon. Magpakapon, magpabakuna at magpa-vaccine ng mga alaga. Hindi lamang sila libangan, sila ay umaasa sa atin. Ituring po natin na ang mga hayop ay parang tao. Ang mga hayop ay parang tao na may pakiramdam, marunong magmahal at magbantay. Sila ay may buhay din,” the governor said during the question-and-answer segment.
With this event, key calls to action have been highlighted, urging congress and the senate to pass the pending bill mandating veterinary offices in all municipalities, with Sen. Villar, Rep. Salvador Pleyto, and Rep. Joseph Bernos leading the legislative effort.
Additionally, local chief executives are called upon to commit to the creation or strengthening of municipal veterinary offices within their current incumbency. (UnliNews Online)
