The Philippines struggles with human rabies cases, ranking number 10 among the top countries with human rabies deaths.
During the first six months of 2016, the Philippines province of Pangasinan have reported 14,390 animal bite cases and 14 human rabies deaths.
To put this into context, in all of 2015, the province saw 19,037 animal bite cases and 19 human rabies deaths.
Last week, the Pangasinan provincial board approved a resolution urging all local government units (LGUs) in the province to strictly implement Republic Act No. 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007.
The Anti-Rabies Act of 2007, signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 25, 2007, provides for the control and elimination of human and animal rabies.
The resolution, authored by Board Member Agerico Jeremy Rosario, encouraged all LGUs in the province, to coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the full implementation of anti-rabies campaign in the province.
Pangasinan, in their battle with rabies, report that less than 10,000 of the 30,000 dogs in the province have been vaccinated against rabies.
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Ruby Doria, program implementer for rabies campaign said the public should do their responsibilities as pet owners in order to avoid being penalized through the RA 9482.
In addition, all four rabies vaccines can now be availed in all Animal Bite Centers in the province for free, Doria adds.
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