OPLAN Eradication of Rabies in Quezon City Launched

By Teodulo M. Topacio, Jr. DVM, Ph.D. National Scientist, Professor Emeritus UPD, UPLB President and Chairman, Teodulo M. Topacio, Jr. Foundation, Inc. Honorary Member, Rotary Club of Quezon City Circle

The program of eradicating rabies in Quezon City was launched last Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at the Bulwagan Amoranto, Quezon City Hall as part of the World Rabies Day Celebration/Mission that is held every year on this date. World Rabies Day Mission was organized in 2006 by a group of researchers and professionals from concerned government and non-government world agencies. They have invited partners to join the World Rabies Day Initiative and the response was overwhelming. This illustrates the widespread recognition of the need for action to control this easily preventable disease which is 100% fatal in humans and dogs. Since its inauguration, World Rabies Day events have been held in 135 countries; educating 150 million people and vaccinating 4.6 million dogs. The Philippines readily joined this all important movement and is now included in all these activities through the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture, the national agency promoting the World Rabies Day mission. At present, Quezon City is one of the countrys LGUs with a very high incidence of human and dog rabies. There were 7 human deaths from this disease officially reported in QC in 2010. This is a worrying situation for the Citys leaders and populace because medical doctors claim that since it is 100% fatal, one human death from Rabies can already be considered an epidemic. To effectively control the disease, seventy per cent (70%) of the total dog population in QC which is estimated to be around 300,000 or approximately 210,000 dogs must be vaccinated. The present personnel of the Office of the City Veterinarian under the City Health Department, however, does not have enough manpower to achieve this objective. In the light of this situation, all concerned City government agencies and non-government organizations will need to pitch in and throw their support behind the Quezon City governments anti-rabies initiative. In response to this need, the TEODULO M. TOPACIO, JR. FOUNDATION INC., with the help of known civic organizations like the Rotary Clubs of QC-District 3780 led by Rotary Clubs of Quezon City Circle and Midtown Cubao, Lions Club of Cubao, volunteered their help in this effort. The group drafted a proposal for the creation of a Task Force that will undertake this immense task of eradicating rabies in QC in the shortest time possible. On August 11, 2011, Mayor Bautista issued Office Order No. 151 legally creating this Task Force. The Lead Group of the Task Force is composed of the following members: Chairperson: Dr. Anna Marie V. Cabel, City Veterinarian Vice-Chairperson: Dr. Ruby Anne A. Berboso, City Veterinary Office Members: Mr. Aldrin C. Cuna, Chief of Staff Dr. Verdades P. Linga, City Health Department Mr. Reynaldo Miranda, Liga ng Mga Barangay

Mr. Rene Butch Madarang, Rotary International- District 3780 Dr. Teodulo M. Topacio, Jr. Teodulo M. Topacio, Jr. Foundation Inc. and National Scientist Mr. Marcelo Robosa, Animal Welfare Coalition Dr. Rollie Encarnacion, Past President Cubao Lions Club Dr. Rosemarie N. Antegro, DA-BAI Rabies Coordinator and Office of Congressman Banal With the issuance of Office Order 151, the Task Force Lead Group drafted the initial stage of OPLAN Eradication of Rabies with the battle cry: END RABIES IN QC NOW NA! (which was coined by Rotarian Butch Madarang and derived from the major program thrust of Rotary Internationals End Polio Now).During the official launching of the program last September 28, Mayor Bautista, who was the keynote speaker, declared his full support behind this strengthened initiative to eliminate rabies in QC. Dr. Teodulo M. Topacio, Jr., National Scientist, Professor Emeritus of UP Diliman, UPLB and also the President and Chairman of the Teodulo M. Topacio, Jr. Foundation, Inc., member of the Task Force and the initiator of the Task Force Program, delivered a paper on his proposed Veterinary Public Health Programs for QC. His Foundation is one of the active participant of the in the QC rabies eradication program. The main thrust of his paper is the eradication of rabies in QC. He proposed that being the premier city, it should have its own modern state of the art slaughterhouse. He also recommended the protection of the environment of the city and to establish a world class zoo and botanical (biodiversity) garden. The National Rabies Eradication Program was presented by Dr. Rosemarie Antegro, of the BAI and the DA Consultant Coordinator to the QC rabies program. Finally, Dr. Ana Marie V. Cabel, City Veterinarian, presented the QC Rabies Eradication Program. The launching was attended by more than 100 guests representing the different sectors of QC both government and non-government. Congressman Jorge Bolet Banal of District 3, delivered a short message of support for the program. Congressman Vicente Crisologo, District 1; Congressman Winston Castelo, District 2 and Congressman/Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, District 4, and Vice Mayor Josefina Joy Belmonte Alimurong sent their representatives. The councilors of QC were in attendance, too. From the non-government sector, the Governor of Rotary International District 3780, Jose Francisco Cifra, stated his full support of the program in his remarks. The President of the Rotary Club of Midtown Cubao, Dr. Eulalio Ayong Lorenzo and Assistant Governor and District Anti-Rabies Committee Chairman Rene Butch Madarang of the Rotary Club of QC Circle, were also present. Both are members of the Task Force. The Lions Club of Cubao was represented by its Past President, Dr. Rollie Encarnacion. The launching of the OPLAN was followed by a city-wide simultaneous vaccinations in selected 9 barangays with reported incidence of death due to rabies in the 4 districts of QC on October 5, 2011 starting at 7.30 am and participated in by the concerned QC Rotary Clubs in the area. The drive was able to vaccinate more than a thousand dogs and cats in just one day.

The Rotary Clubs which offered their services were: Agham, Camp Aguinaldo, Centennial QC, Cubao West, Diliman QC, Eastwood QC, Holy Spirit, Kamuning West, Metro Diliman w/ Rotaract and Interact, Metro Eastwood, Metro SFDM, Midtown Cubao, QC Circle, QC Southwest, Quirino, Roces, San Bartolome, South Triangle, Sta. Mesa Heights. The Philippines is one of the countries of the world that has a serious problem of rabies with 300 to 600 human deaths a year as reported by Dr. Raffy Deray, DOH (Inquirer, October1, 2011.) We now rank number 5 to 6 among the countries with a high incidence of human rabies among the populace. The veterinarians of the BAI have recognized this problem since the agencys establishment in 1933. With the alarming increase in the cases of human and dog rabies in the last two decades, the administrators of this government agency decided that a law will give the necessary push to finally eradicate the disease in the country. They sought the help of all concerned veterinarians and medical doctors in the private and government sector including the civic and related organizations for assistance in pushing for this law. The bill was drafted and, with the help of these groups, was submitted to Congress which finally passed Republic Act 9482. It was signed into law by the President In 2007. The main objective of this law is the eradication of rabies by the year 2020. The Philippines is the only country in Asia that has such a law. In the implementation of the law and to attain this objective the local government units (LGUs) play a very significant role. It is therefore, both timely and appropriate that the Quezon City government through Mayor Herbert Bautista is doing its part by taking an active and dynamic role in the national anti rabies initiative. Hopefully, other LGUs will follow its lead to eradicate rabies in the Philippines, once and for all.