GARC joins Rabies Awareness Month in the Philippines

March is Rabies Awareness Month in the Philippines, and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) participated through various educational campaigns.

In Los Baños, Laguna, more than 1 600 learners from five elementary schools attended rabies awareness sessions organized by GARC. Learners were educated on what rabies is, how to prevent animal bites, what to do in case of an animal bite, and the importance of responsible pet ownership. Children are particularly vulnerable to rabies and we emphasized the importance of bite prevention while also encouraging the learners to immediately inform an adult if an animal bites them.

To make the experience more engaging, learners also received activity books, storybooks, and soap to remind them to always wash their wounds. Thank you to Boehringer Ingelheim for making these school-based campaigns possible!

Extending the campaign to the community level, GARC also conducted an offline Rabies Educator Certificate (REC) course for Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) in Capas, Tarlac on March 31, 2025. Organized in partnership with the Animal Kingdom Foundation and the Municipality of Capas through the Capas Municipal Veterinary Office, this initiative aimed to empower frontline health workers with knowledge and tools to combat rabies in their communities.

A total of 40 BHWs successfully completed the REC course, earning their certification as Rabies Educators. These community health workers are often the first point of contact for medical concerns in their areas! As Rabies Educations, they will now play a key role in teaching their communities about how to prevent rabies. To support their work, we provided them with rabies education tarpaulins and a teaching guide to support them in local awareness activities.

By participating in the Rabies Awareness Month in the Philippines, we renewed our commitment to empowering communities through education, an essential step toward eliminating rabies. By engaging both young children and frontline health workers, we ensure that key messages about rabies prevention reach all levels of society. These efforts are made possible through strong collaboration with partner organizations, local governments, and community groups! This shows that working together is vital in our global efforts of working towards rabies elimination.

Contributed by:

Eunice Mendoza, GARC Community Education Manager