NAVAL, Biliran (PIA) -- In its desire to regain rabies-free status, the provincial government of Biliran, together with the Provincial Veterinary Office, the  Provincial Health Office (PHO), and the Provincial Rabies Provincial Control Committee (PRPCC) launched Rabies-Free Province in August.

During the launching activity, Dr. Edgar T. Veloso, provincial health officer, challenged the members of the Provincial Rabies Provincial Control Committee to achieve a rabies-free province with both the local ordinances and national laws in place, the trainings provided to implementers, and all other support from the government.  

Gov. Gerard Roger Espina also stressed that it is not the animals’ sin to be infected with rabies, but it is the responsibility of the owners to take care of them to be free from rabies.

The Biliran Provincial Rabies Prevention and Control Committee headed by Dr. Suzette Apura, provincial veterinarian, later came to a consensus, to lobby in the different barangay assemblies as recommended by Merle Castro from the DILG-Biliran,  for the cooperation and support  of the community in securing and taking care of their pets to spare them from rabies.

The Department of Health (DOH) previously declared the entire province of Biliran as Rabies-Free Province in 2012 which lasted until 2016.

However, new rabies cases emerged in 2016, thus, Biliran was stripped of its rabies-free zone status.

To safeguard Biliranons from rabies, the provincial government of Biliran, once again, aimed for canines to get rid of rabies by encouraging responsible pet ownership and giving them anti-rabies vaccines.  (MMP/MLT/PIA Biliran)