Legislator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go has called on the Department of Health (DOH) to heighten their initiatives combating rabies, specifically in terms of the vaccination programs being implemented nationwide. Go occupies the chair position of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, and this appeal comes on the back of recent instances of fatalities owing to rabies in the Philippines.
The high-ranking official drew attention to the fact that two deaths related to rabies were reported in a single week during May. A significant case underlined by the senator was that of Janelo Limbing, a 31-year-old manufacturing employee who hailed from Cabuyao City, Laguna.
Limbing endured a dog bite inflicted by his brother’s pet in August 2024, but the characteristic symptoms of rabies only surfaced after nine months. Upon development of the symptoms, Limbing was transported to a healthcare center in haste after he could not complete the necessary dosage of anti-rabies vaccine, resulting in a subsequent tragedy.
An additional victim of the rabies menace was Nichole, a 25-year-old female from Bacolod City. Despite suffering from an animal bite earlier this year, in March, Nichole decided against seeking treatment due to financial constraints, resulting in dire consequences.
Advocating for proactiveness in preventive measures, Senator Go emphasized that the DOH should bolster its strategy by ensuring the provision of no-cost anti-rabies vaccines to the public. Additionally, he stressed on maintaining a sufficient supply of these vaccines throughout the country.
Go exhorted the citizens not to ignore any incidents of animal scratches or bites as they could lead to severe repercussions. He highlighted that while rabies could inflict a fatal outcome, its prevention was certainly within possibility.
Medical professionals have cautioned about the negative consequences resulting from delayed vaccination or incomplete vaccination courses. A tardy response or a suboptimal immunization could render the treatment ineffective and invite severe complications, with the worst-case scenario being loss of life.
Despite the department’s advice for pet owners to undertake annual vaccination for their furry friends, the instances of fatalities related to rabies reached a startling number of 426 in the prior year.
The DOH has also noted an occurrence of 55 instances of rabies spanning the timeframe from the beginning of the year to the first day of March, in 2025. Data suggests that a remarkable fraction of these cases is linked to bites from domesticated pets—animals that are a part of numerous households across the Philippines.
Moreover, the statistics indicate that a predominant number of these cases involved animals that were unvaccinated. Hence, it is essential to acknowledge and address this issue before it escalates any further.