Cebu Province faces a significant gap in veterinary services, with only a small fraction of local government units (LGUs) having their own veterinarians.
This leaves many communities reliant on the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) for animal health concerns.
Out of Cebu’s 53 cities and municipalities, only 10 currently have veterinarians assigned within their respective local governments, according to the PVO.
Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy said the shortage of municipal-level veterinary professionals hampers the delivery of essential programs, such as disease prevention, rabies control, and enforcement of animal welfare regulations.
She stressed that LGUs play a key role in protecting both animal and public health within their jurisdictions.
“Ang first line of defense to protect the people is LGU component mana nato, support lang mi,” Vincoy explained, noting that the provincial office primarily provides supervision and technical support.
Among the component cities with their own veterinarians are Toledo, Bogo, Carcar, Danao, Naga, and Talisay.
Several municipalities also have veterinarians, though these are assigned under Municipal Agriculture Offices rather than through dedicated veterinary offices.
Examples include Minglanilla, Dalaguete, Barili, and Daanbantayan.
With most municipalities lacking dedicated veterinary staff, the provincial office frequently receives requests for services ranging from disease monitoring to animal population management.
Vincoy traced the situation back to the devolution of certain government functions under the Local Government Code.
Hiring a municipal veterinarian is optional for municipalities, though the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007 mandates that first-class municipalities maintain veterinary services.
Even so, the decision to create and fill veterinary positions ultimately rests with local chief executives.
“The challenge comes sa public nga pag access nila. Kay supposed to be ang local government concern, munisipyo ug syudad, dapat ila nang e address,” Vincoy said.
The PVO has repeatedly encouraged LGUs to establish their own veterinary posts, pointing out that animal-related concerns extend beyond rabies cases.
“But we proposed, they should have their own kay daghan man kaayog problem sa animals not only rabies,” she added.
Despite the manpower constraints, the provincial veterinary team continues to deliver programs across Cebu.
In February alone, the PVO spayed and neutered 667 pets under its animal population management initiative, providing free services in coordination with local governments.
The campaign aims to curb the growing stray animal population while promoting responsible pet ownership.
The provincial government, under the support of Governor Pamela Baricuatro, has opened additional veterinary positions within the PVO.
However, several vacancies remain after the positions had to be reopened twice due to a lack of applicants.
The provincial office hopes LGUs will act promptly to fill municipal veterinary posts, ensuring that communities across Cebu have better access to animal health services and protection. (SBA)
Photo from Unsplash
