ANTIQUE — Health and veterinary authorities have raised concern over the increasing threat of rabies in Antique as the summer season begins, following the confirmation of multiple positive cases in 2025.
Gov. Paolo Javier called on residents to remain vigilant and support government efforts to curb the spread of the disease.
“We are taking this situation seriously, especially with the increase in rabies cases recorded last year. I call on all Antiqueños to cooperate with our ongoing vaccination drives and strictly practice responsible pet ownership. Rabies is preventable, and through unity and discipline, we can protect our communities,” Javier said.
Rabies, a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans, continues to pose a public health risk, particularly with the rise in stray and unvaccinated animals.
Dr. Marco Rafael Ardamil, Veterinarian IV of the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV), said that of the 16 animal specimens tested in 2025, 10 were confirmed positive for rabies. These cases were recorded in several municipalities, including Belison, Culasi, Libertad, Pandan, Patnongon, Sibalom, and Tibiao.
Ardamil noted that most of the infected animals were stray dogs without owners, underscoring the need for stricter pet ownership and vaccination compliance.
The OPV conducts initial rapid testing of submitted specimens and coordinates with local health centers to ensure that bite victims receive immediate vaccination. Confirmatory testing is carried out at the Department of Agriculture laboratory in Iloilo.
While the Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO) handles human rabies cases, Ardamil disclosed that there was at least one suspected rabies-related death in Barbaza last year. He emphasized, however, that rabies in humans is preventable if treated promptly.
“Rabies infection is 100 percent fatal but also 100 percent preventable through vaccination,” he said.
Authorities warned that rabies transmission typically increases during the hot months of March to May, when heat stress and limited water supply weaken animals and make them more aggressive and prone to biting.
Ardamil added that about 98 percent of animal bite cases in humans are caused by dogs, while only 2 percent involve cats and other animals. A similar surge in cases was observed during the El Niño-induced drought in 2023.
In response, the provincial government intensified its vaccination campaign, administering 17,631 anti-rabies vaccine doses to dogs in 2025 through the combined efforts of the OPV, municipal agriculture offices, and support from the Department of Agriculture.
However, Ardamil said vaccine supply remains limited and may not be enough to cover the entire province. He urged local government units, down to the barangay level, to allocate their own resources to sustain the campaign.
Dog vaccination is recommended annually, as the vaccine’s protection typically lasts for only 12 months. For humans, anti-rabies vaccines are available at Animal Bite Treatment Centers and accredited clinics, with partial coverage from PhilHealth.
Authorities are also pushing for stricter compliance with responsible pet ownership under the Anti-Rabies Act, which requires pet owners to provide proper care, register their animals, ensure regular vaccination, and keep pets within their premises.
“To own a dog is not a right but a privilege. It means you should only keep a pet if you are capable of caring for it,” Ardamil stressed.
As the country observes Rabies Awareness Month this March, authorities are urging the public to support the campaign anchored on the theme: “Bakunadong pusa’t aso, kaligtasan ng pamilyang Pilipino.”
The government aims to make the Philippines rabies-free by 2030, but officials emphasized that achieving this goal will depend largely on public cooperation.
Under the Javier administration, the provincial government continues to strengthen rabies prevention programs, including vaccination drives, testing, and public awareness campaigns led by the OPV./PN
