By Raydes B. Barcia
Legazpi City – The national government infused P250 million budget for the construction of the Bicol Region second veterinary medicine this year.
Rep. Fernando T. Cabredo (2nd District) of Albay said that the national government gave a greenlight and appropriated P250-million budget for the construction of veterinary medicine in Ligao City a year after the lawmaker pushed the bill for the creation of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Bicol University (BU).
Cabredo lauded President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos for granting his request to include the allocation of the budget intended for the construction of Bicol University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ligao City.
“The HB is still pending in the House of Representative for plenary deliberation. I was glad that my proposal for inclusion in the GAA FY 2023 was granted by Congress and approved by the President,” Cabredo said.
He also expressed gratitude to House Speaker Martin Romualdes and Appropriation chairman Elizaldy S. Co for allotting funds and Ligao City Mayor Fernando V. Gonzalez for donating the property intended for the construction of the region’s second veterinary medicine school.
“The construction of Bicol University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ligao City is on the pipeline this year after the national government appropriated P250 million in the national budget fiscal year 2023,” Cabredo said.
Cabredo the main proponent of House Bill 10203, which was filed in September 2021 lauded the national government approval of the bill and allocation of the fund for the construction of veterinary medical school in Bicol as it will produce globally competitive veterinary medicine graduates in Albay province that could contain animal diseases outbreak in the countryside.
The construction of Bicol University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ligao City is the second veterinary school in the Bicol region. Currently, the Central Bicol State University in Camarines Sur offers a veterinary medicine course as first and approved by the higher education institution in Bicol.
The Central Bicol State University in Camarines Sur located in Pili town is about two hours away from Albay.
The measure creating a College of Veterinary Medicine at the BU is aimed to produce globally competitive veterinary medicine graduates equipped with high-quality skills and competencies to address emerging and increasing animal diseases which according to specialists endangers the health of animals and the health and economic growth of various communities, the bill’s explanatory note read.
Citing a study from the Agriculture, Health, and Environment departments, Cabredo said that there are at least 172 zoonotic diseases that pose grave challenges to animal and human health services and resources.
“Outbreak of animal diseases can also cost the country millions of losses due to animal slaughters, trade halts, and subsequent disease management and eradication efforts,” Cabredo’s bill read.
He said the animal diseases have largely impacted human health and food supply, including African swine fever, avian flu, influenza A, and severe acute respiratory syndrome that resulted in the drastic decrease of pork meat in the market.
The study also indicated that of the estimated 10,000 veterinarians across the Philippines, only 20 are based in Albay.
The six-year course will consist of a two-year preparatory veterinary curriculum and general education courses, and a four-year professional veterinary medicine course.
Cabredo said that the construction of the veterinary medicine project in Albay is in partnership with the city government of Ligao, the BU College of Veterinary Medicine campus with laboratory and treatment services would sit on a 10-hectare lot in Barangay Tuburan.
Tuburan village is also the home of the country’s biggest training center of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). The site is also the new regional center of the Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) office. (Raydes B. Barcia)