At least P110 million is needed to procure rabies vaccines need to inoculate around 22 million dogs and cats in the Philippines next year, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Wednesday, April 3.

Two towns in Marinduque, Boac and Buenavista, have been already placed under state of calamity due to soaring number of rabies cases. 

“Kahapon (Yesterday),I met with an NGO (non government organization) dealing with rabies with our BAI animal health people. Basically, ang sinasabi nila sa akin (what they are telling me is that) for next year, we need a P110 million on the vaccine alone, wala pa ‘yung a-apply, wala pa ‘yung syringe, wala pa ‘yung rollout ng program (that does not include the application, the syringe, and the program rollout),” he said during a press briefing at Philrice in Nueva Ecija.

“Ang kailangan i-vaccinate ay 22 million dogs [and cats] para ma-eradicate ito (We need to inoculate 22 million dogs and cats to eradicate rabies),” he went on.

One rabies vaccine, according to Laurel, costs at least P500.

“So we need at least P110 million na budget kasi ‘yung vaccine almost P500 ‘yung isa (because one rabies vaccine costs P500). Iyon ang hihingin namin sa Kongreso at sa Senado, and kung ma-approve ay ma-implement natin (That’s what we will ask from the Congress and the Senate, and once approved, we will implement it),” he said.

Another area with rabies outbreak

Other than Marinduque, Laurel said another areas in the country, which he did not disclose, was monitored to have rabies outbreak.

“Mayroon pa pero mahirap sabihin baka magkaroon ng panic (There is another one, but I do not want to disclose where because it might cause panic),” he told the media.

Asked if it is near Marinduque, he said: “Hindi, malayo (No, it’s far).”

Agriculture spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa confirmed that there is another area with a rabies outbreak but has also declined to reveal the specific area

Only vaccine can prevent rabies

In an earlier interview, DA Assistant Secretary for Livestock Dr. Constante “Dante” Palabrica said vaccination if the only way to prevent rabies.

“Like with anthrax, rabies can only be prevented through vaccination,” he said.

He has urged the public to have their pets inoculated against rabies in order to avoid the transmission of the viral fatal disease.

If a person is bitten by an animal, Palabrica said the bitten area must be cleaned immediately

“Ang precautionary measure [is] you have to clean immediately ang pinagkagatan, sabon at tubig. And you have to go sa rabies hospital to be vaccinated (The precautionary measure is to immediately clean the bite with soap and water. And you have to go to the rabies hospital to be vaccinated. Like I said, he is slowly crawling every day),” he said.

Palabrica said that a person must still get an anti-rabies shot even if the animal that bit or scratched him/her was vaccinated against rabies

“Magpapabakuna ka na just to be sure. Baka iyong pinabakuna ay expired o hindi umaksyon ang immunity ng hayop (Get vaccinated just to be sure. There are scenarios wherein the vaccine given to the animal is expired or in some cases the immunity of the animal did not react),” the DA official said, saying such is his personal opinion.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website, rabies, a fatal but preventable viral disease, can spread to people and pets if they are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal.

Most rabies deaths in people around the world are caused by dog bites, it noted.