MISAMIS ORIENTAL — Rabies might not always make the headlines, but doctors in Northern Mindanao are reminding the public it’s one of the deadliest diseases out there — and yet, 100 percent preventable.

As World Rabies Day approaches, the Department of Health in Region 10 (DoH-10) is ramping up its awareness drive, pushing communities to take the virus seriously.

Dr. John Daniel Estandarte of DoH-10’s Infectious Diseases Cluster said the Philippines is part of the global “Zero by 30” campaign, which aims to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies by 2030.

“We’ve made progress with annual mass vaccination drives for dogs and cats, but Covid-19 really stalled the campaign,” he told the DAILY TRIBUNE.

The numbers tell the story: from January to mid-September this year, Northern Mindanao logged 11 human rabies cases. Nationwide, DoH recorded 211 cases as of August 2025 — a 21 percent drop compared to last year. But the danger remains. From 2020 to 2024 alone, rabies killed 1,750 Filipinos, almost all from dog bites.

Why is rabies so hard to beat? Dr. Estandarte explained that too many pets remain unvaccinated, and many dog owners still let their pets roam freely, increasing the risk of transmission. In some areas, bite victims continue to seek help from traditional healers like “tandok” or “tawak” instead of getting urgent medical care. Even though post-exposure vaccines are free in animal bite treatment centers, many families don’t know about them or have trouble accessing them.