ESPRESSO MORNINGS

By Joe Zaldarriaga

Mr. Joe Zaldarriaga, fondly called “Manong Joe”, is a distinguished figure in the country’s corporate communications landscape. Holding the position of Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications at Manila Electric Company (Meralco), he has orchestrated unparalleled success for the utility company, winning accolades for their brand of service communications.
He was the architect behind Meralco’s most celebrated milestones in the field of communications— steering the company to five-time Company of the Year honors at the Philippine Quill Awards and leading the only PR team ever named Team of the Year in the history of the Anvil 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.

March in the Philippines is traditionally marked by the heat of the approaching summer and a series of government reminders to vaccinate pets for Anti-Rabies Month.

As a pet owner and an animal welfare advocate, I feel we need to look beyond the yearly rabies shots. The bigger question is: how do we treat animals every day? Are they seen as burdens to society, or as living beings that deserve care?

As I look at the landscape of animal welfare advocacy in 2026, I’ve realized that rabies is merely a symptom. The underlying condition is a systemic lack of animal welfare.

Rabies prevention matters, but it’s only part of the picture. Stray dogs and cats are on our streets because many pets are abandoned or left uncared for. Each one is a reminder that we still have work to do.

We cannot simply vaccinate our way out of a culture that treats animals as disposable. To truly protect public health, we must first protect the animals themselves.

Real compassion —malasakit— means more than rabies vaccines. It means supporting spay and neuter programs, encouraging animal adoption, and making sure laws against cruelty are enforced. It means teaching children that kindness to animals is part of being a good person.

If we want safer communities and healthier families, we must start by protecting animals. Rabies may be the headline, but the deeper story is whether we can build a culture of care. Because when we care for animals, we also care for ourselves.

By treating homeless cats and dogs with dignity through Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programs, we aren’t just being “nice.” We are creating a stable, healthy, and rabies-free buffer in our streets.

The implementation of humane population management is a meaningful step toward preventing rabies while addressing the challenge of stray animal homelessness in a sustainable way. When we stop the cycle of unwanted litters, we stop the cycle of disease.

Thankfully, more and more people and groups are embracing animal welfare as part of their personal or corporate advocacies.

Just recently, over 150 animal welfare advocates gathered for Meralco’s “Malasakit Fur All” event to champion compassionate care for animals or as we fondly refer to as “CATropas” and “kaBARKadas.”

During the event, Senator Kiko Pangilinan and Congressman Brian Poe, accompanied by his dog Chanel, both emphasized the need for stronger animal welfare advocacy and policies.

There is an urgent, rising demand for accountability. We are tired and angry of seeing viral videos of animal cruelty met with nothing but a “slap on the wrist” fine or total indifference. I stand with the advocates pushing for the Revised Animal Welfare Act because we need higher penalties for abuse. Cruelty to animals should never be tolerated.

As we navigate this Anti-Rabies Month, I challenge everyone to look beyond the vaccination. Yes, get your pets their shots, as that is the bare minimum of responsible ownership. But also ask yourself how you treat the “aspin” on your street or whether you call out cruelty when you see it.

We often say that a nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members. In the Philippines, our animals have been the weakest for far too long.

Through initiatives like CATropa and the push for stronger laws, I am hopeful that we are moving in the right direction towards a future where malasakit extends to every creature, whether they have two legs or four.