THE other day, developed and developing countries, including the Philippines, marked World Rabies Day, the attention at home drowned out by staggering security and public welfare issues.
But the annual celebration, which began in 2007 with the first awareness campaign launched by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and others, was not lost in the provinces although the megaphones may not have been loud enough.
World Rabies Day, which marks the death of French scientist Louis Pasteur who developed the first successful rabies vaccine, is significant for raising global awareness about rabies prevention and control, and promoting community-led actions to achieve zero human rabies deaths by 2030.
In the Philippines, between 200 and 300 rabies deaths are recorded annually, with a recent high of 426 deaths reported in 2024, which suggests rabies remains a significant public health issue, with a majority of deaths occurring in children under 15 years old.
Worldwide, about 59,000 people die of rabies each year although this number is likely an under-estimate due to under-reporting in affected regions.
We know that provinces have individually marked the day with activities, aimed at aligning themselves with the critical platform for global collaboration, highlighting the preventable nature of the disease, which still claims tens of thousands of lives each year, and encouraging public participation in vaccination campaigns and other preventive measures.
Ilocos Norte celebrated World Rabies Day 2025 with community-focused activities led by the Provincial Government, the City Government of Laoag, and Mariano Marcos State University at SM City Laoag, according to provincial veterinarian Loida Valenzuela.
Under the global theme “Act Now: You, Me, Community,” the celebration featured free anti-rabies vaccinations and deworming for pets, veterinary consultations, and a rabies advocacy campaign, aiming to raise awareness and promote responsible pet ownership to eliminate rabies cases.
Albay for its part provided free pet anti-rabies vaccinations, spaying/neutering services, and awareness campaigns to encourage community responsibility in eliminating rabies by 2030.
Cebu marked the day by holding a rabies vaccination drive and a forum with veterinarians and community members to encourage action against rabies, while Mindoro had its residents participate in rabies awareness and prevention efforts, including school-based education, mass dog vaccination campaigns, and spaying/neutering initiatives.
In Surigao del Sur, the province quietly observed the day with activities like free anti-rabies vaccinations for poets, spaying/neutering services and dog microchipping organized by the Provincial Veterinary Office.
Veterinarians say the primary goal is to inform the public about rabies, its symptoms, how it is transmitted and is a 100 percent preventable disease through vaccination
