PILAR leads all Bohol towns in its anti-rabies eradication and control program with 101% of its dogs vaccinated, while Corella at 0%, still has to start its rabies campaign, Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz reported during the recent League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) meeting in Talibon, January 9.   Corella has yet to adopt a local rabies eradication and prevention ordinance, after Bohol decided to go full stride in its anti-rabies program last year.  By dog vaccination, one of the key components of the provincial anti-rabies program, authorities here intend to come up with the minimum average of 70% accomplishment all throughout the province so as to stay in the comfort zones. The 70% ceiling is also the international standard, sources said.

But despite the efforts of the Provincial Rabies Eradication Prevention Council (PRPEC), only Pilar and Batuan of the third district and Sikatuna of the first district has so far breached the 70% dog registration and vaccination accomplishment, Dr. Lapiz appraised the mayors league members while rallying for more support. Batuan capped a 77.65% vaccination record by injecting 945 of their 1,217 dog population and Sikatuna did a 72.55% while injecting 600 of their 827 dogs. Pilar did an unprecedented feat when their Municipal Rabies Prevention and Eradication Council succeeded in going a leash further when it got 2138 dogs vaccinated despite an earlier record of dog population at 2115. Pilar Mayor Wilson Pajo humbly accepted the accolade during the presentation by the Provincial Veterinarian.

Meanwhile, Alburquerque, San Isidro and Lila respectively came in close with 63.75%, 64.6% and 65.2% dog vaccination accomplishments. By that, Bohol for now has attained a little more than 33% accomplishment in it's a little more than 100 thousand dog population. Only about 37,125 dogs have been registered and vaccinated.  Moreover, Dr. Lapiz also cited Carmen and San Isidro for its anti-rabies best practices. Carmen Mayor Manuel Molina has personally sent anti-rabies program information to each household in the barangays to fully appraise the residents of the existing ordinance. San Isidro has also designated a burial site for all the animals they have eliminated since the start of their campaigns. As this developed, PRPEC members have said that several towns have already started household level elimination especially those stray and unwanted dogs. With the new calendar year then, Dr. Lapiz asked the mayors to help the Council in conducting a new round of surveys in the beginning quarter of the year to get the actual number of dogs in the province. (rachiu/PIA)