The Quezon City government announced that it was going to launch a digital platform to allow its residents to register their pets as a means to prevent the rabies virus from claiming lives within the city.
According to the local government, two casualties were said to have come directly as a result of rabies in the previous year, forcing the government to conduct a vaccination drive in 142 barangays throughout the city.
“Rabies is preventable. Every vaccinated pet protects a family and a community,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
Though generally non-fatal through urgent safety measures, rabies has a 100 percent fatality rate once the virus reaches the central nervous system based on the World Health Organization.
The virus was said to be an issue in over 150 countries, with an estimated 59,000 annual deaths.
Locally, the Department of Health said that it logged a total of 426 rabies-related deaths last 2024.
In an effort to streamline the process of vaccinating pets throughout Quezon City and prevent further casualties from the disease, the city’s government introduced the QC Vet e-pet registration system through its eServices app.
It also conducted the Rabies Summit 2026, an event where the local government and private sector discussed initiatives to boost pre-existing response systems to aid people that contract the virus.
“We will keep working with our partners to protect both our residents and their pets,” City Veterinarian Dr. Rey del Napoles stated.