Akbayan Party-List has filed a bill at the House of Representatives seeking tougher penalties for animal cruelty, maltreatment, and neglect, with Rep. Percival Cendaña saying stronger measures are needed to hold offenders accountable.
Cendaña filed House Bill 11495, or the proposed ALAGA Act, on Tuesday alongside representatives of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and therapy dogs. Reps. Chel Diokno, Dadah Ismula, and Kaka Bag-ao are co-authors of the measure.
Under the bill, cruelty, maltreatment, or neglect resulting in an animal’s death would be punishable by one year, six months and one day to three years in prison and a P100,000 to P500,000 fine. Lesser penalties would apply to grave and light injuries.
“Nakita natin na, parang sa dulo, nakalulusot lang under the current policy regime ‘yung mga nananakit sa kanila, at mas mahirap ‘yung prosecution under the current policy regime,” Cendaña said.
The proposed law would also penalize dog-meat trading, animal fighting, and the production or distribution of content showing intentional animal suffering for entertainment or commercial gain.
It also seeks to create a National Commission on Animal Welfare with rule-making, licensing, enforcement, and prosecution-related powers. PAWS Executive Director Anna Cabrera said the agency would have the resources needed to implement animal welfare protections nationwide.
The bill further provides protections for animal rescuers, requires humane stray-animal control through Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return programs, and mandates publicly accessible records of impounded animals, adoptions, euthanasia, deaths, and disease outbreaks.
