The 11 towns and the province itself will be reevaluated early next year on their respective implementation of the Rabies Prevention and Control Program in the last two years to check whether they would still qualify for declaration as rabies-free areas.
This was announced during the recent meeting of the Provincial Rabies Prevention and Control Committee (PRPCC) that was reorganized the other week by Governor Patrick Alain T. Azanza.
The respective committees at the 11 towns and the province will have to submit the documentary requirements on or before Dec. 30, 2025, after which evaluation will be done at the national level.
Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Jane Rubio stated that the evaluation of the committees’ accomplishments for 2023 and 2024, will be based on 12 criteria.
These are: presence of local ordinance on Rabies Prevention and Control/Eradication; comprehensive Rabies Vaccination Program for the last two years; laboratory-based surveillance and submission of dog head for examination at a minimum of 0.02% of the total dog population per year; dog impounding; dog neutering; comprehensive Rabies Prevention, Control, and Elimination Program; presence of Local Rabies Control Committee; effective dog control measures (no stray dogs); intensified IEC campaign; certification of zero rabies case for the last two years from the Provincial Veterinary Office and the Municipal Agriculture Offices; certification of zero rabies case for the last two years from the Provincial Health Office and Municipal Health Office; and readily available access to Animal Bite Treatment Centers.
In her report, Dr. Rubio stated that only 56% of the estimated 20,398 dog population in Catanduanes were vaccinated against rabies from January to September this year.
Achieving vaccination rates higher than the provincial average were Bagamanoc, 79%; Bato, 95%; Caramoran, 77%; Gigmoto, 90%; Panganiban, 63%; and Virac, 73%.
At the tail-end are Viga, 25%; San Miguel, 31%; San Andres, 39%; Pandan, 44%; and Baras, 51%;
The provincial government provided a total of 495 vials of rabies vaccine distributed to the 11 municipalities, only seven of which procured their own vaccines: Bagamanoc, 20; Bato, 100; Caramoran, 200; Pandan, 50; San Andres, 277; Viga, 20; and Virac, 305.
No vaccines were purchased by the towns of Baras, Gigmoto, Panganiban and San Miguel, which had a total dog population of 4,581 or 22% of the island’s total.
On the other hand, dog population control efforts have been concentrated in just eight of the 315 barangays: 33 dogs in barangays Siay, Nabato, Progreso, District 3, Katipunan and Pangilao in San Miguel, 13 dogs in Napo in Pandan, and seven in Rizal in San Andres.