Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, on 26 December 2023 extended assistance to the volunteers of an animal shelter in Davao City, lauding them for helping rescue and rehabilitate abused and abandoned animals.

As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go emphasized the need to promote responsible pet ownership as an effective means to reduce cases of animal abuse and help the local government of Davao City mitigate cases of rabies because of the proliferation of stray animals in the neighborhood.

"Isa sa mga pangunahing rason kung bakit merong mga kaso ng rabies ay dahil sa mga palaboy-laboy na mga hayop, katulad ng mga pusa at aso. Karamihan sa kanila ay hindi napabakunahan kontra rabies dahil wala ngang mga may-ari o inabandona na sila. At kung nakakagat sila, exposed sa potential rabies ang mga kababayan natin," explained Go.

Although rabies is vaccine-preventable, it is virtually 100 percent fatal if not treated on time. According to the World Health Organization, up to 99 percent of rabies cases are caused by domesticated dogs.

"Bagama't meron namang anti-rabies injections na ibinibigay ng city government ng Davao, malaking pasanin naman sa mga nakakagat ang pumila ng ilang beses para ma-injectionan at masigurong hindi sila magkakaroon ng rabies," added Go.

Davao City's Animal Bite Treatment Center located at the back of the City Hall provides vaccines to patients bitten by animals suspected of carrying rabies, such as dogs, cats, horses, cows, goats and hogs. Those who are active Philippine Health Insurance Corporation members may avail of the vaccines for free.

Davao City is one of the first local government units to have its own animal welfare desk in each police precinct after the Department of Agriculture and the Philippine National Police inked an agreement last July 2018. The desk is tasked to address various forms of animal abuse, such as animal torture, abandonment and violence committed against animals, and to also help eliminate dog meat trade.

Republic Act No. 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act, as amended by RA No. 10631, criminalizes any cruelty or neglect committed against certain animals and punishes violators with imprisonment of up to two years and/or fine of up to P100,000. A more severe penalty of imprisonment of two years and one day to three years and/or fine not exceeding P250,000 shall be imposed if the violation was committed by a syndicate, an offender engaged in animal cruelty as a business, a public officer or if at least three animals were involved.

Go's Malasakit Team provided gift packs, shirts, key chains, sockets and balls for basketball and volleyballs to nine volunteer-staffs of Bantay Hayop Davao at their animal shelter located at Elenita Heights Subdivision, Catalunan Grande, Davao City.

BHD is a non-government organization founded in 2019, relying only on private individual donations to fund its operations. It presently has 150 rescued animals, mostly dogs, who were victims of animal abuse or accidents, and are presently undergoing rehabilitation. The animal shelter will be launching an animal adoption program early next year for pre-qualified individuals. With help from donations and community volunteers, it is presently constructing a much larger animal shelter in Malagamot, Panacan, Davao City to house more rescued animals.

"Tayong mga Pilipino ay talagang likas na mapagmahal sa ating mga alagang hayop, bagama't merong iilan talaga na naging pabaya at nang-aabuso pa rin. Sabi nga ni Mahatma Gandhi, 'The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated'", Go added.

"At kung sakali mang merong kailangang ma-confine sa ospital dahil sa kagat ng hayop, meron naman po tayong Malasakit Center sa loob mismo ng Southern Philippines Medical Center. Mayroon na tayong 159 na Malasakit Centers sa buong Pilipinas na handang tumulong sa inyo," the senator further said.

Malasakit Centers bring together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, PhilHealth and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. These one-stop shops aim to support impoverished patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of RA No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. The DOH reported that the program has already provided aid to around ten million Filipinos.