BONTOC, Mountain Province – As part of its strengthened campaign on lessening the number of stray dogs, the four central barangays of Bontoc received dog-catching tools from the municipal government through the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMAg).
Bontoc Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong, Jr., some members of the Sangguniang Bayan, and Municipal Agriculturist Renato Falag-ey led the turnover of tools for dog-catching, including catching poles with nets, animal handling gloves, and dog cages, to the barangay officials of Bontoc Ili, Caluttit, Samoki, and Poblacion on May 22, 2023, at the Municipal Capitol.
According to Agricultural Technologist Sheryl Tumingeb of the OMAg, the provision of tools to the four central barangays is a follow-up intervention of the municipal government after the dog-catching training participated in by the different barangay tanods from barangays Bontoc Ili, Samoki, Caluttit, and Poblacion, as well as personnel of the Municipal Health Office in March this year.
This program is lodged with the Rabies Program of the municipal government which aims to prioritize the safety of its people as well as the cleanliness and sanitation of the town center.
The mayor remarked that capacitating the barangays with appropriate training on dog catching and equipping them with necessary tools forms part of the present administration’s roadmap – “𝑬𝑵𝑳𝑨𝑵𝑮𝑨𝑲𝑯𝑨: 𝑨𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝑫𝒚𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝑩𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒄“. One of its four pillars is Ecosystem Regeneration by strengthening environmental and solid waste management programs, and sanitation.
Likewise, the mayor reiterated his appeal to the public regarding responsible pet ownership and encouraged everyone to cooperate in the promotion and maintenance of a healthy and clean environment.