ESPRESSO MORNINGS
By Joe Zaldarriaga
Under his guidance, Meralco achieved unprecedented milestones, clinching a historic 3-peat Company of the Year title at the IABC Philippine Quill Awards, scoring the only PR Team of the Year trophy bestowed at the Anvil Awards, and securing numerous honors at international and local communication awards.
Manong Joe’s leadership also extends as a respected member of the Board of Trustees for the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), concurrent with his role as Chairman of the International Association of Business Communicators Philippines (IABC Philippines) where he also served as its President.
Manong Joe is a distinguished awardee of the medallion of honor and scroll of commendation from the University of Manila, owing to his years in public service as a communications professional. He shares his insights through columns in renowned publications, including The Philippine Star’s The Z Factor, and Philippine News Agency’s ESPRESSO MORNINGS.
Last week, Meralco took a pioneering step in corporate animal welfare advocacy by hosting its first-ever seminar on the matter and unveiling a dedicated catio for community cats—a concrete example of corporate commitment to animal welfare or in other words, walking the talk.
This milestone, made possible through the dedication of the company’s volunteer employees and strong partnerships with Biyaya Animal Care and the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), underscores the private sector’s potential to drive social change.
While some may argue that more pressing national concerns deserve priority, this does not diminish the importance of animal welfare as a social issue.
In fact, recent high-profile cases of animal cruelty across the country have outraged many Filipinos, proving that this issue remains deeply relevant on a national level. On social media alone, abuses of animals are quick to earn condemnation.
From the recent death of a community cat allegedly in the hands of a foreign national in Makati City to the death of five pet dogs in La Union, highly publicized animal cruelty cases have revived stronger calls for the amendment of the country’s animal welfare law to enact stricter penalties for violators.
Beyond the ethical concerns, animal welfare is also a public health issue given the growing threat of rabies due to the uncontrolled population of strays in the country. Data from PAWS show that there are over 12 million strays in the Philippines which pose a threat to both the public health safety and security of our communities.
It bears each one of us to do our part in raising awareness on animal welfare not only for the benefit of animals but also for the overall well-being of our communities.
Biyaya Animal Care chief executive officer Rina Ortiz proves that everyone can take part even with simple actions: “Let’s adopt and co-exist with the animals. Learn how to feed the strays properly, and let’s support local animal shelters.”
As PAWS Executive Director Anna Cabrera said during Meralco’s pioneering animal welfare seminar: “If you give animals a chance, they show us the very best aspects of our humanity. They have so much love to give. I hope we can love them back—especially those who are homeless, helpless, and voiceless.”
Indeed, how we treat animals reflects our values as a nation. For the private sector, supporting animal welfare is not just about enhancing corporate reputation—it is about responsibility, ethics, and creating a better society for all.
The private sector has a significant role to play in promoting animal welfare and, by extension, improving the communities it serves. At Meralco, I personally advocated for the integration of an animal welfare initiative, starting with the community cats in Ortigas, where our corporate headquarters is located.
Through the “CATropa” program, the company has committed to creating safe spaces for stray cats, implementing Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return (TNVR) activities. This initiative not only protects animals in urban environments but also mitigates public health risks associated with stray populations.
Now, we are working towards expanding the program to cater to more animals.
Other businesses can follow suit by embedding animal welfare into their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs—or even their daily operations. Companies can also work with the government and various animal welfare advocacy groups to implement programs that help animals, and in effect, benefit communities as well.
Such efforts reinforce a company’s commitment to holistic community development beyond business interests and corporate image.
In the end, integrating animal welfare in the CSR portfolios of companies or even in business operations is not just a charitable act, it is a strategic business decision—one that can help improve brand trust while contributing to the improvement of the communities we serve.
It is my hope that more companies will consider integrating animal welfare into their respective advocacies for a more humane Philippines.
