Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH (16") CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1766

House Bill No._

Introduced by Hon. Joseph Gilbert F. Violago Sf i
SS NDEX

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Pnor to the enactment of the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 (RA 8485), the slaughter of
carabaos of a certain age was prohibited under Executive Order No. 626. In 2001, the Bureau of
Animal Industry (BAl). thru Memorandum Order No 3, declared E.O. 626 to have been revoked
by RA 8485 and therefore allowed the slaughter of carabao at any age provided that the humane
manner of slaughter as embodied in 1998 law observed.

In the explanatory provisions of EO 626, it was stated that the ban on the slaughter of
carabaos was implemented because conditions then demanded “that the carabao and the buffalo
be conserved for the benefit of the small farmers who rely on them for energy needs.”

‘The same may now be said in these times.

As gas and crude oil prices continue to skyrocket, the use of fuel-guzzling mechanical
farm tractors is no longer feasible for our small farmers. Utilizing the carabao’s energy in tilling
the fields presents a practical alternative and a long-term solution. Clearly, current conditions are
once again calling for the conservation of the Filipino farmers’ beast of burden. To continue
propagating the species, the prohibition against its indiscriminate slaughter must be reinstated in
our laws. In fact, the need to preserve and increase meat, milk and work animals is much more
urgent now.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

LPAGER

HON. JOSEPH F. VIOLAGO
Representative
2h District, Nueva Ecija


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH (16™) CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1766

House Bill No.

Introduced by Hon. Joseph Gilbert F. Violago

AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE SLAUGHTER OF CARABAOS AT CERTAIN AGES,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8485,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT OF 1998”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 8485, otherwise known as “The Animal
Welfare Act of 1998”, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 6. It shall be unlawful for any person to torture any animal, to
neglect to provide adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat any animal or
to subject any dog or horse to dogfights or horsefights, kill or cause or procure to
be tortured or deprived of adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat or use
the same in research or experiments not expressly authorized by the Committee on
Animal Welfare.

“THE SLAUGHTER OF CARABAOS AND BUFFALO IS PROHIBITED
EXCEPT UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

“(A) ONLY CARABAOS AND BUFFALO THAT ARE SEVEN (7) YEARS
OLD OR OVER, IF MALE, AND ELEVEN (11) YEARS OLD OR
OVER, IF FEMALE, MAY BE SLAUGHTERED UPON ISSUANCE OF
THE NECESSARY SLAUGHTER PERMIT BY THE AUTHORITIES
CONCERNED; AND

“(B) NO SLAUGHTER PERMIT SHALL BE ISSUED WITHOUT A
CERTIFICATE BY THE PROVINCIAL OR CITY VETERINARIAN
CONCERNED, OR THEIR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE, TO
THE EFFECT THAT THE CARABAO OR BUFFALO TO BE
SLAUGHTERED IS OF THE REQUIRED AGE AND FREE FROM.
ANY DISEASE.

“The killing of CARABAOS AND BUFFALO AS PROVIDED HEREIN OR
any animal other than [cattle] COWS, pigs, goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits,
[carabaos,] horses, deer and crocodiles is likewise hereby declared unlawful except
in the following instances:

“(1) WHEN THE CARABAOS OR BUFFALO ARE RAISED IN
COMMERCIAL QUANTITY, NOT AS WORK ANIMALS, BUT FOR
MEAT OR PROCESSING;


“{(1)] (2) When it is done as part of the religious rituals of an established
religion or sect or a ritual required by tribal or ethnic custom of
indigenous cultural communities; however, leaders shall keep records
in cooperation with the Committee on Animal Welfare;

“[2] (3) When the [pet] animal is afflicted with an incurable communicable
disease as determined and certified by a duly licensed veterinarian;

“{3] (4) When the killing is deemed necessary to put an end to the misery
suffered by the animal as determined and certified by a duly licensed
veterinarian;

“[4] (8) When it is done to prevent an imminent danger to the life or limb of
a human being; [and]

“{(6) When done for the purpose of animal population control]

“(6) When the animal is Killed after it has been used in authorized research
or experiments; and

“() Any other ground analogous to the foregoing as determined and
certified by a licensed veterinarian.

“In all the above-mentioned cases, including those of [cattle] COWS, pigs,
goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits, carabaos, BUFFALO, horses, deer and crocodiles, the
killing of the animals shall be done through humane procedures at all times.

“For this purpose, humane procedures shall mean the use of the most
scientific methods available as may be determined and approved by the
‘Committee ON ANIMAL WELFARE.

“Only those procedures approved by the Committee shall be used in the
killing of animals.”

SEC. 2. All existing laws, orders, decrees, rules and regulations or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2)
national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,