DAVAO City’s animal bite centers are seeing tens of thousands of patients, while health officials warn that the city remains far from the global goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030.
The City Health Office (CHO) recorded 26,259 animal bite consultations during the first half of 2026, while Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) logged another 12,000 consultations in the first quarter alone.
CHO Animal Bite Treatment Center (ABTC) Main Head Dr. Yleona Ysabel Camelotes said the rising numbers have alarmed health officials as Davao joins the global campaign to eliminate human deaths from dog-mediated rabies.
“Mind you, we have a global strategic plan: Zero by 30,” Camelotes said during the iSpeak media forum Thursday.
“We are very, very alarmed due to the increasing trends of rabies. As you can see, 2026 na ta, hapit na ta mahuman, nowhere near zero pa ta (It is already 2026, and we are nearing the end of the timeline, yet we are nowhere near zero),” she said.
The CHO recorded five human rabies deaths as of the second quarter of 2026. That compares with six deaths in all of 2025 and three in 2024.
SPMC Medical Specialist III Dr. Candice Fay Chua-Sanchez said the hospital recorded 22,147 animal bite consultations in 2025, up from 18,943 in 2024.
The city’s 2026 fatalities involved victims from different age groups, including children and older adults. They included a 2-year-old, a 4-year-old, a 17-year-old from Marilog District, a 26-year-old man from Baguio District, and a 68-year-old woman from Wangag.
Health officials stressed that rabies remains preventable when people receive timely post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after an animal bite or scratch.
But getting the first dose is not enough, they said. Patients must complete the prescribed vaccination schedule to ensure protection.
Medical experts warned that missed or delayed doses can result in treatment failure and, ultimately, death.
The CHO has expanded access to preventive care through satellite ABTCs in Calinan, Toril, Tugbok, Marilog, Sasa, and Cabantian. Its main facility operates at the City Hall Annex Building.
The City Veterinarian’s Office is also conducting animal vaccination drives and pet ownership lectures, while offering pre-exposure prophylaxis to people considered at high risk of rabies exposure.
The activities are part of the city’s preparations for World Rabies Day on Sept. 28, with the main event scheduled at the Buhangin Gymnasium.
Officials urged residents not to dismiss animal bites or scratches, regardless of how minor the wound appears, and to seek medical attention promptly. GRS
