THE House Committee on Agriculture and Food, chaired by Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, on Tuesday discussed various measures seeking to strengthen animal protection laws, particularly Republic Act (RA) 8485 or the “Animal Welfare Act of 1998,” as amended by RA 10631, or the “Philippine Animal Welfare Act of 2013.”
Among the proposals considered include House Bill 1385 or the “Anti-Dog Meat Trade Act of 2022,” HBs 1396, 7932, 8082, 8157, 8398, 8555 and 8677, aiming to establish an Animal Welfare Bureau under the Department of Agriculture; HBs 6059 and 9543, which seek to revise RA 8485; HBs 10232, 10435, 10790 and 11028, seeking a full repeal and replacement of the law with updated standards; HB 11087, proposing an emergency response system for animals during calamities; and HR 1770, seeking a congressional inquiry into the implementation of RA 8485.
Enverga said these proposed measures are aligned with the intent of Senate Bill 2975, which was recently passed on third reading. The bills offer stronger penalties for cruelty, mandatory veterinary care, ban on dog meat trade and animal blood sports, as well as new animal welfare enforcement mechanisms.
Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez, author of HB 9543, said his bill sets general provisions for humane treatment, care standards, bans on exploitation, animal rescue and mandatory spay-neuter programs. He noted that government agencies should step in when non-government organizations are no longer able to manage due to limited resources or inadequate facilities.
Bureau of Animal Industry OIC-Director Christian Dacuigan expressed strong support, saying the reforms are a step forward in promoting sustainable agriculture and animal welfare.
Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Executive Director Anna Cabrera expressed concern over provisions in the bills that exclude wildlife and certain domesticated species from protection, describing the inclusion of such provisions as “significant step backward especially since the existing Animal Welfare Act already extends protection to all animals without discrimination.”
Cabrera added that repealing RA 8485 could impact administrative orders and bring about legal gaps.
“We stand a very real chance of not being able to file these cases anymore or that they’ll be dismissed in court because they are no longer covered,” she said.
She clarified that PAWS is open to amending RA 8485, particularly to specify stricter penalties for heinous cruelty such as torture.
Animal Kingdom Foundation Program Director Heidi Caguioa also expressed her group’s support on the proposed measures, and clarified that only laws inconsistent with the new act would be repealed, while consistent rules would remain in effect.
Biyaya Animal Care CEO Rina Ortiz for her part flagged the lack of funding for anti-rabies efforts and advocated for government-supported spay and neuter programs to help local governments save lives and resources.
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