Health authorities in Iloilo City reported zero human rabies deaths in 2024 and 2025, marking a sharp turnaround from previous years when Western Visayas consistently ranked among regions with the highest rabies cases in the country.
According to the City Health Office (CHO), the last recorded human rabies cases in Iloilo City occurred in 2023, resulting in three deaths. All involved bite victims who were not vaccinated.
“The last recorded cases of human rabies in Iloilo City were in 2023, with a total of three deaths. All of these cases involved patients who were not vaccinated,” said CHO rabies coordinator Florence Joy Atinado Rubido.
The improvement follows years of concern raised by the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH WVCHD), which in 2024 warned that rabies cases in the region remained alarmingly high, particularly in Iloilo province. At the time, Western Visayas ranked fourth nationwide for canine rabies cases, with 140 confirmed cases as of September 2023, and consistently placed among the top regions for human rabies deaths.
“Pet owners must practice responsible ownership; [they must] ensure vaccination annually and do not let their pets astray,” said Dr. Marie Jocelyn Te, head of the DOH WVCHD Infectious Disease Unit, during a 2024 press briefing. She emphasized that controlling rabies at the animal level is “more cost-effective than controlling it in humans.”
Data previously showed that Iloilo province topped the list of high-risk provinces for canine rabies in 2021 and 2022, while the region recorded nine human rabies deaths and more than 53,000 animal bite cases in just the first quarter of 2024. Health officials repeatedly reminded the public that “no bite is too small” and urged immediate vaccination following any animal bite.
By 2025, Iloilo City’s Animal Bite Treatment Centers (ABTCs) handled 3,254 animal bite patients across three government-run facilities. Despite the progress in preventing deaths, Rubido said vaccines are currently unavailable in public ABTCs due to ongoing procurement.
In the meantime, residents are advised to seek treatment only from Department of Health–certified private animal bite centers to ensure proper monitoring and care.
Health officials also continue to face challenges stemming from the devolution of rabies vaccine procurement to local government units in 2022. DOH officials earlier noted that budget constraints have left many municipalities with insufficient vaccine supplies.
“We will no longer give vaccines to local government units (LGUs) because there will be a [local] allotment. Vaccines were devolved since 2022,” said rabies program manager Ame Liz Marduquio.
Authorities say the absence of human rabies deaths in recent years underscores the impact of timely vaccination, public awareness, and coordination between health and veterinary offices. Still, officials warned that sustained progress depends on consistent vaccine availability and compliance with annual pet vaccination.
“This highlights the importance of immediate vaccination after an animal bite and the need for responsible pet ownership,” Rubido said.
The Iloilo City government said it will continue strengthening its rabies prevention campaign through education drives, vaccination programs, and close coordination with veterinary services to maintain the city’s rabies-free status.
