“Rabies ends when we work together”: Kalinga OPHO II Tandingan calls for unified action to prevent deaths

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — “Rabies ends when we work together.”

This was the strongest message of Kalinga Provincial Health Officer Dr. Edward Tandingan as he called for unified action to prevent human deaths from rabies during the province’s observance of World Rabies Day on September 28.

Speaking during the Provincial Government of Kalinga’s regular flag-raising ceremony, Tandingan stressed that preventing rabies is not the responsibility of health workers alone but requires cooperation among government agencies, communities, families and pet owners.

“To emphasize that rabies prevention is a shared responsibility, and through strong unified cooperation across all sectors, we can achieve the vision of a one comma, zero human rabies deaths,” Tandingan said.

He urged the public to practice responsible pet ownership, ensure animals are vaccinated, observe preventive measures and immediately seek medical attention after an animal bite or other possible exposure.

Tandingan emphasized the urgency of the campaign, noting that once rabies develops into a clinical disease, it is almost invariably fatal.

“Let us remember, rabies ends when we work together. If there is an outbreak of rabies, we will die of the disease, and rabies will not die. Once rabies becomes a disease, it is a manifestation that we will die,” he added.

Kalinga has recorded rabies deaths

The call comes amid documented human rabies deaths in Kalinga in previous years.

The Philippine News Agency reported in March 2026 that the Cordillera recorded five human rabies deaths in 2025—three in Abra, and one each in Apayao and Kalinga. The DOH-CAR rabies program said the deaths were associated with bites from stray animals.

One of the reported Kalinga deaths involved a 44-year-old mother from Lubuagan who died on February 13, 2025, nearly two months after she was bitten by a dog. According to a report by Guru Press Cordillera, she did not receive an anti-rabies shot after the December 2024 bite, while the dog died three days later. She later developed severe symptoms and died in a hospital in Tuguegarao.

Historical provincial records also show that Kalinga recorded five human rabies deaths in 2019, all in Tabuk City. The Kalinga Provincial Government’s 2021 annual report, meanwhile, recorded zero human rabies deaths in 2020 and 2021, following intensified rabies advocacy and animal vaccination efforts.

These figures underscore why Tandingan is pushing for sustained cooperation to achieve zero human rabies deaths.

Immediate action can prevent death

According to the World Health Organization, rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is primarily transmitted through the saliva of infected animals through bites, scratches or other exposure.

Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100 percent fatal. However, human deaths can be prevented through timely post-exposure treatment following an exposure.

Tandingan therefore reminded the public not to ignore even seemingly minor animal bites or scratches.

The public should immediately wash the wound with soap and running water and seek medical assessment, rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.

The campaign also highlights the role of pet owners in preventing transmission through regular vaccination and responsible control of dogs and cats.

World Rabies Day is observed every September 28 to raise awareness and strengthen global efforts to eliminate human deaths from rabies.

For Kalinga, Tandingan's message was clear: preventing another death starts long before symptoms appear—and it requires everyone to work together.