ILOILO CITY — In her first year at the helm, Mayor Raisa S. Treñas has overseen a sweeping animal welfare campaign that vaccinated 39,909 dogs and cats against rabies and kept human deaths from the disease at zero. The milestone reflects a city that sees healthy pets as a cornerstone of safe neighborhoods.
A Year of Milestones
From July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, the Office of the City Veterinarian (OCVet), led by Dr. Fernando Abulencia, exceeded major operational targets. The city sterilized 1,265 animals—524 spayed and 741 neutered—to humanely curb the stray population. The OCVet also rescued 101 dogs, provided 194 veterinary consultations, and issued 505 health certificates.
The vaccination drive reached pets through walk‑in services at the city pound, field missions in barangays, and special outreach events. These numbers were not just statistics; they represent a coordinated push to protect both animals and the families who care for them. The campaign covered every district, ensuring no community was left behind.
The P.E.T.S. Program and Digital Tools
The city anchored its efforts on the Iloilo City P.E.T.S. (Protect. Educate. Track. Sterilize.) Program, which bundles rabies control, pet registration, microchipping, sterilization, rescue, adoption, and public education into a single framework. Complementing this are VetAlert, a digital platform for early disease detection and rapid outbreak response, and PAWTect, which enforces animal welfare laws and disaster‑ready veterinary care.
Barangay Animal Welfare and Health Officers have been organized in 145 barangays, strengthening local monitoring and reporting. The city also conducted 40 educational sessions, reaching over 8,000 residents with lessons on responsible pet ownership and rabies prevention. This layered approach ensures that veterinary services are not merely reactive but woven into the fabric of daily community life.
Zero Human Rabies: A Public Health Victory
Despite recording 12 canine rabies cases in 2025 and four more in the first half of 2026, Iloilo City has maintained zero human rabies cases and zero human deaths over the same period. The aggressive vaccination coverage and immediate post‑bite interventions have broken the chain of transmission that once claimed three lives in 2023 alone.
The city’s three Animal Bite Treatment Centers in Sto. Rosario, La Paz, and Mandurriao managed over 3,200 bite patients in 2025. Health officials credit the swift, coordinated response for preventing any human fatality. The success underscores that investing in animal health is a direct investment in public safety.
Grassroots Empowerment and Barangay Shelters
The Sangguniang Panlungsod recently passed a resolution urging all 180 barangays to establish temporary animal holding facilities. These shelters will serve as first‑response hubs for stray, abandoned, or rescued animals. Dr. Abulencia noted that with an estimated 20 to 30 strays per barangay, the situation remains manageable if communities take ownership of the solution.
Barangay‑based shelters must meet minimum humane standards—clean water, ventilation, and sanitary drainage—while the OCVet provides technical support and free spay‑neuter services. This decentralized model empowers residents to become active partners in animal welfare and eliminates the need for long‑distance transport of distressed animals.
A No‑Kill Commitment and Future Goals
Iloilo City’s dog pound in Barangay Calahunan operates under a strict no‑kill policy, rehabilitating animals for reintegration into loving homes. An upcoming puppy adoption drive in August 2026 will invite the public to provide permanent homes for rehabilitated dogs.
Looking ahead, the city aims to make pet microchipping mandatory, expand digital disease surveillance through VetAlert, and sustain high vaccination coverage. For Mayor Treñas, these initiatives are part of building a more compassionate, livable city where the well‑being of animals and humans are inseparable.
