Council OKs purchase of anti-rabies vaccines

The Cebu City Council has approved the purchase of 8,000 vials of anti-rabies vaccines amounting to P4.4 million to be charged against the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) funds.

The Cebu City Government, through the help of Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF), has been regularly conducting an Intensive Massive Vaccination campaign to control the animal rabies cases in the city.

Free vaccinations for dog owners are conducted by the DVMF in urban and rural places, and they also provide information education campaigns and consultations for all pet owners.

Under a city ordinance, pet-owners are required to have their pets vaccinated, else they would have to face a fine of P2,000.

Based on the DVMF records, they have already administered 32,862 vaccinations since January 2019, with an average of 4,108 vaccinations per month.

As of September, only 700 vials of anti-rabies vaccines are left.

DVMF Officer-inCharge (OIC) Dr. Jennifer Laurente said that their department is in need of 8,000 vials of anti-rabies vaccines to continue the vaccinations for the rest of the year.

Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak sponsored the resolution.

“Kini siya importante kaayo ni sa mga namuhi og iro para paglikay sa rabies and we also target ma rabies-free ang Cebu City,” Tumulak said.

He added they are not certain yet if PAGCOR has sufficient funds to shoulder the amount needed by the DVMF.

The city referred this resolution to the PAGCOR Committee. —