AROUND 50 animals were rescued by the Davao de Oro Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) as part of their Animal Rescue Welfare Program following the tragic Masara landslide on the night of February 6, 2024.
In a live media briefing on the Masara situation, Thursday afternoon, February 15, PVO Assistant Department Head, Dr. Headyn Cenabre updated the figures they have rescued on the ninth day of the search and retrieval operation at Zone 1, Barangay Masara, Maco.
Of the number, 23 dogs and 27 cats were successfully rescued in the ground zero and Barangay Mainit. Despite the soil condition and wide land hectares in both areas especially in Masara, the PVO is still hopeful that more animals will be rescued.
“Padayun usab ang atong animal rescue operation kasi we haven’t covered the whole area and we have seen many stray dogs. Some of them are really hungry and some of them are really scared. So kung may survivor sa mga tao, meron din po sa mga animals”, she said.
(Our animal rescue operation is also ongoing because we haven't yet covered the whole area and we have seen many stray dogs. Some of them are really hungry and some of them are really scared. So if there are human survivors, there are also animals that survived).
She added that at least 127 dogs displaced in nine evacuation centers were vaccinated and given proper medical care by their agency and that everyday monitoring of the rescued animals is administered.
“We have conducted visits doon po sa mga dogs na nasa evacuation centers. We vaccinated the dogs at the same time we have given vaccinations, vitamin supplements, and dog food”
(We have conducted visits to those dogs that are in the evacuation centers. We vaccinated the dogs, given vitamin supplements, and dog food) the official added.
Currently, the PVO-Davao de Oro announced that pet owners who have their animals missing should coordinate with the local government unit of Maco (LGU-Maco) and Municipal Agriculturist Office of Maco and Mawab.
On Thursday, February 15, an interfaith prayer was held in a now lifeless area of Zone 1, Brgy. Masara.
The prayer leaders came from various religious groups and faiths of the Roman Catholic, Mansaka, Kagan, and several Indigenous People’s (IP) representatives collectively joined, offering their deepest sympathies to the victims.
As of press time, casualties in the Masara landslide have climbed to 92 while 36 individuals remain missing, based on the initial tally of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office-Maco (MDRRMO-Maco). DEF
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