Ilocos Norte launch rabies education in the classroom

Many children don’t tell their parents when an animal bites them, particularly if the bite is minor. They are unaware of rabies and that the bite could be the entry point for the fatal virus.

If a child knows rabies is a risk it can save their life.

Ilocos Norte is a province of approximately 600,000 people in the north of the Philippines. On January 24, 2014 the Ilocos Norte Rabies Prevention Program Manual on Grade School Integration and Instruction was launched.

This means that from now on thousands of children living in Ilocos Norte will now be taught rabies prevention at school.

This is a practical and sustainable measure that will save lives in the area.

Specifically tailored for the province, the Ilocos Norte Rabies Prevention Program Manual on Grade School Integration and Instruction was developed by GARC and is part of the Communities Against Rabies Exposure (CARE) Project in Asia supported by GARC and UBS Foundation.

Present at the launch were representatives from GARC and its provincial partners led by Ilocos Norte Provincial Veterinarian, Dr.Loida Valenzuela, DepEd-Ilocos Norte Division Superintendent, Dr. Cecilia Aribuabo, and GARC Communication and Education Consultant, Ms. Elaine Llarena.

The provincial government was represented by Provincial Administrator, Atty. Windell Chua who gave the keynote message. DepEd Ilocos Norte Education Program Supervisor, Ms. Joye Madalipaya and the 12 Master Teachers who lent their expertise in the development of the five major subject areas (Filipino, English Science, Mathematics, and Makabayan) that were included in the curriculum manual were also there.