ALL BARK, NO BITE: Animal welfare program given P10M in 2026 allocation

Senator Francis Pangilinan on Saturday announced that the proposed 2026 national budget includes a P10-million allocation for the Animal Welfare Supervision and Accreditation Program, marking its first appearance in the government’s spending plan.

Pangilinan said the program is designed to professionalize animal welfare enforcement by supporting standards development, inspections, and the accreditation of animal welfare organizations and facilities, particularly those engaged in rescue and shelter operations.

The senator said the funding aims to improve the treatment and care of rescued and sheltered animals while providing institutional support to legitimate and functioning animal welfare groups.

“This program would start expand the program that looks after rescued and sheltered animals, while also backing legitimate and functional welfare organizations on the ground,” Pangilinan said.

As a member of the bicameral conference committee and vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, Pangilinan said the measure builds on long-standing efforts to strengthen animal welfare protection and enforcement.

He cited his sponsorship of amendments to the Animal Welfare Act in 2012, which increased penalties for animal cruelty and neglect, as well as continued collaboration with animal welfare groups such as the Philippine Animal Welfare Society.

Pangilinan said the proposed program seeks to address enforcement gaps by ensuring consistent standards and oversight, while helping authorities distinguish credible animal welfare organizations from unregulated operations.

“This experience grounds policy debates in everyday responsibility and compassion. With proper supervision and accreditation, we protect animals, support credible rescuers, and make enforcement fair and consistent,” he said.

If approved, the Animal Welfare Supervision and Accreditation Program will be implemented starting in 2026 as part of the national budget.

However, animal welfare advocates may balk at the P10 million allocation as a modest sum relative to the scale of animal welfare challenges nationwide.

Research by animal welfare organizations shows that thousands of stray and abandoned animals are rescued each year, placing sustained pressure on shelters that already operate with limited funding, volunteer labor, and overcrowded facilities.

Studies indicate that the average cost of rescuing, rehabilitating, vaccinating, and sheltering a single animal can run into several thousand pesos, excluding long-term medical care and spay or neuter procedures.

At the national level, the P10-million allocation would cover only a fraction of the actual operational needs of accredited shelters, inspection teams, and enforcement mechanisms envisioned under the program.

Advocates have also noted that effective supervision and accreditation require trained inspectors, regular compliance checks, and logistical support across multiple regions, all of which demand sustained funding.

Without larger and recurring appropriations, studies warn that accreditation risks becoming symbolic rather than transformative, limiting its impact on animal protection and enforcement.