Bulan Maret diperingati sebagai Bulan Kesadaran Rabies, sebagaimana dinyatakan dalam Perintah Eksekutif No. 84 seri tahun 1999 untuk mengadvokasi pentingnya vaksinasi hewan dengan tema tahun ini "Rabies Free na Pusa't Aso, Kaligtasan ng Pamilyang Pilipino." Sejalan dengan hal ini, Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), Pilmico Foods Corporation (Pilmico) bersama dengan merek makanan hewan peliharaan premiumnya, Maxime, dan organisasi mitra lainnya mengadakan kegiatan selama sebulan penuh di Capas, Tarlac. Inisiatif mereka menekankan pentingnya kepemilikan hewan peliharaan yang bertanggung jawab dan menerapkan vaksinasi anti-rabies di beberapa area. 

Pada tanggal 25 Maret lalu, AKF mengadakan seminar gratis, pendaftaran hewan peliharaan, dan vaksinasi hewan peliharaan di Brgy. Rosario, Capas, Tarlac. Maxime, pada bagiannya, menunjukkan dukungannya terhadap advokasi penampungan dengan menyumbangkan 48 kantong produk Maxime. Blessie Zarzuela, National Sales Manager Maxime, percaya bahwa pemilik hewan peliharaan harus memastikan bahwa hewan peliharaan mereka terlindungi dari penyakit virus seperti rabies. "Maxime sejalan dengan advokasi AKF dalam menyebarkan kesadaran akan pentingnya vaksinasi bagi hewan peliharaan kita. Sebagai pendukung kepemilikan hewan peliharaan yang bertanggung jawab, kami percaya bahwa inisiatif penampungan ini merupakan cara yang baik untuk mendorong pemilik hewan peliharaan untuk mendaftarkan dan memvaksinasi hewan kesayangan mereka. Dan semoga kedepannya lebih banyak lagi hewan peliharaan yang dapat divaksinasi sehingga rabies dapat dicegah," ujarnya.

Lebih dari 300 hewan peliharaan termasuk kucing dan anjing divaksinasi selama acara berlangsung, sementara para pemilik anjing pulang dengan membawa sekantong makanan anjing Maxime secara gratis. Marty Tabug, Admin Officer dan Investigator Lapangan AKF mengungkapkan rasa terima kasihnya kepada Pilmico dan Maxime atas dukungan mereka. "Terima kasih Pilmico atas kemurahan hati Anda! Terima kasih Maxime Dog Food karena telah bergabung dengan kami dalam kegiatan kami," kata Tabug. 

Pertanyaan yang Sering Diajukan

How does the Pilmico-AKF rabies vaccination partnership contribute to the national goal of rabies elimination?
The Philippines has committed to national rabies elimination targets, which require achieving high vaccination coverage across the dog and cat population — not just in urban centers but in provincial communities like Capas, Tarlac. By partnering with and funding community vaccination drives, Pilmico and Maxime contribute directly to closing the coverage gaps that prevent herd immunity from forming. Each vaccination event that prevents a single rabies case also prevents the potential human exposure — making the investment a public health contribution as much as an animal welfare one.

What is the legal basis for Rabies Awareness Month in the Philippines and what was the 2022 theme?
Rabies Awareness Month is observed every March in the Philippines, as declared under Executive Order No. 84, series of 1999, which established the observance to advocate the importance of animal vaccination. The 2022 theme was “Rabies Free na Pusa’t Aso, Kaligtasan ng Pamilyang Pilipino” — directly linking a rabies-free pet population to the safety of Filipino families and establishing the dual public and animal health frame for all activities conducted during the month.

What activities did Animal Kingdom Foundation, Pilmico, and Maxime conduct in March 2022 in Capas, Tarlac?
On March 25, 2022, AKF conducted free seminars, pet registration, and anti-rabies vaccination in Brgy. Sto. Rosario, Capas, Tarlac. Maxime donated 48 bags of Maxime pet food products to support the event. Dog owners who had their pets vaccinated went home with free bags of Maxime dog food — providing a tangible incentive for community participation in the vaccination drive that increased turnout. More than 300 pets including cats and dogs were vaccinated during the event.

What did Maxime National Sales Manager Blessie Zarzuela say about the brand’s advocacy on rabies awareness?
Zarzuela stated that Maxime is one with AKF’s advocacy on spreading awareness about the importance of vaccination for pets. She positioned this as an expression of responsible pet ownership advocacy — encouraging pet owners to have their fur babies registered and vaccinated. She expressed hope that more pets can be vaccinated in the future so that rabies will be prevented — framing Maxime’s participation not as a single-event donation but as an ongoing commitment to the elimination of rabies through pet vaccination coverage.

Why is Capas, Tarlac a strategically significant location for this animal welfare initiative?
Capas, Tarlac is home to Animal Kingdom Foundation’s main Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Center — making it AKF’s home base for operations and community engagement. It is also in the same province as Pilmico’s Tarlac feedmill, creating geographic proximity between Pilmico’s operational community and the communities served by AKF’s programs. The Capas vaccination event is thus not a remote outreach event but an investment in the animal welfare of a community where Pilmico employees and their families live and work.