INTRODUCTION

Each independent State face different health problems, which may

entirely depend on their environment, culture, and customs. One of the factor that
differs between States, are the type of animal that causes, or is the major inflictor
of rabies on humans in their country. For example Philippine rabies is usually
caused by rabid dogs, while in some it is caused by bats, cats, raccoon, and other
wild animals. Consequently, for the protection of their citizens, these States
adopted several legislations to somewhat mitigate the occurrence of these health
problem incidents, and to, if possible, eliminate them completely. However, rabies,
which is 100% preventable disease still cause thousands of deaths in Tropical
countries. The Philippines faces several health problems, one of them is the
proliferation of rabies cases.

“Rabies is an infectious viral disease that is almost always fatal

following the onset of clinical symptoms. In up to 99% of cases, domestic
dogs are responsible for rabies virus transmission to humans. Yet, rabies
can affect both domestic and wild animals. It is spread to people through
bites or scratches, usually via saliva.

Rabies is present on all continents, except Antarctica, with over 95%

of human deaths occurring in the Asia and Africa regions” 1

According to the World Health Organization, the Philippines is one of the top 10
countries with serious number of incidents of rabies, where it was also claimed that the
Country is responsible for 200 to 300 deaths having rabies as the cause thereto.

“In 2010, 257 died of rabies, and in 2011, 202 deaths were reported.

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Region 5 has 26 rabies cases in 2011, the highest among the regions.

1
'Rabies' (Who.int, 2019) <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies> accessed 20 August 2019.
 x x x”2

In the recent data of the Department of Health, it was found that from the years
2014 to 2018, 84 rabies cases has occurred within Region 5, ranking fourth of all the
Regions in the Philippines.3

Thus, with the aim of having the Philippines removed from the list of top rabies
countries, gave birth to Republic Act 9482.4 With the foregoing a number of committees,
organization, and as well NGO’s were formed dedicated to see to it that the objective of
Republic Act 9482 materializes.

ABSTRACT

This study will focus on the measurements implemented by the Republic of the
Philippines in properly effecting the law concerned with eradicating rabies, which is
Republic Act 9482. It shall also dwell on the ordinances, as well as activities such as
seminar, and other gathering of its constituents, or information dissemination, with the
intention of relaying upon them the necessary information they need to know under the
aforementioned Republic Act; and shall likewise look into its effect upon the locality.

The data gathered in the Philippines pertaining to its measure in eliminating rabies
shall be duly compared to those measure taken up by other countries which are
considered to be within the top countries suffering from a vast number of incidents of
rabies cases. It shall likewise analyze as to whether the measures of other Sovereign
should be adopted in the Philippine setting, and vice versa.

2
'Rabies in the Philippines' (WHO Western Pacific Region, 2019)
<http://origin.wpro.who.int/philippines/areas/communicable_diseases/rabies/continuation_rabies_area_page/en
/> accessed 20 August 2019.
3
Joseph Martinez, RN, RM and others, '2018 Rabies Surveillance June' (Doh.gov.ph)
<https://www.doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/statistics/2018%20Rabies%20Surveillance%20June.pdf> accessed 20
August 2019.
4
An Act Providing For The Control And Elimination Of Human And Animal Rabies, Prescribing Penalties For Violation
Thereof And Appropriating Funds Therefor, May 25, 2007.