In the neighboring province of Tarlac, the Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) continues to work to achieve its objective of ending the illegal and brutal trade in dog meat. The group was already waging its fight when other animal welfare organizations in Asian countries such as China, Indonesia and Cambodia were just beginning their own campaign. 

“That’s our core program because our campaign really started for the [eradication of the] dog meat trade, and that’s how our organization was built,” says lawyer Heidi Marquez Caguioa, AKF’s program director. “AKF started the campaign in Asia when nobody was fighting against the dog meat trade.”  

AKF, which formally started in 2002, is run by Filipinos, but it was through the efforts of a Briton, the late Charles Leslie Wartenberg, that made it what it is now.

In the United Kingdom, Wartenberg had read a newspaper report on the trade in dog meat in the Philippines. This prompted him to visit the country in 1998 to look into the matter. Finding that what he had read in the paper was actually happening, he formed a group in coordination with the police and launched operations to rescue dogs headed for slaughter. 

The group eventually became the AKF.

Having no rescue center at that time, AKF linked up with Manila veterinarians who arranged for rescued dogs to stay for a week in the city pound. But as the number of rescues grew, it became clear that the pound could not serve as their long-time haven. 

The problem was solved when a permanent shelter for the animals was found in Capas. At present, more than 300 dogs and 42 cats are staying in the AKF shelter. 

Related: Small dogs are all the rage, but think twice before buying these fur babies

To help Filipino dogs

During the first few years of AKF, funds were not a problem because Wartenberg was a member of a UK group that raised the money needed for the foundation’s operations. “We just kept working and left the funding to them,” Caguioa says in an interview with CoverStory.ph. 

A disagreement between Wartenberg and the UK group prodded him to leave it, leading to AKF’s financial woes. 

But even earlier, Caguioa recalls, Wartenberg always told the AKF members that they should learn to raise their own funds and manage their own programs: “He said, ‘You have to do things on your own because I built this organization not for the UK people but for you Filipinos to help Filipino dogs.’”

Wartenberg’s advice prepared AKF to eventually deal with and resolve its financial difficulties, Caguioa says.

AKF believes that it cannot help dogs and stop the dog meat trade unless it also focuses on education, immersion, and legislation. Thus, pet education programs were conducted in Baguio City and La Trinidad in the north, as well as in provinces in Calabarzon and Central Luzon. 

“We hired teachers to go around these areas, teaching animal welfare and responsible pet ownership,” Caguioa says.

Using the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as model sans financial help as incentive, AKF implemented a project in which those qualified under the 4Ps (or living on or below the poverty threshold) are empowered to make a difference in animal welfare. 

Caguioa says she met with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Baguio City: “I said, these people have many dogs, they have many pets … If you empower them and give them a chance to become an important member of society through pet ownership, this could change their mindset. It could help erase victim mentality.” 

In 2012, Caguioa says, DSWD Baguio and AKF signed a memorandum of agreement on a three-year project involving education on animal welfare. Bearing educational materials, DSWD officers and AKF teachers climbed mountains and crossed rivers in fulfillment of the project. And because back then AKF had a partnership with the Department of Education, the teachers also visited grade schools in Baguio. 

Unfortunately, AKF could not continue the educational project beyond the agreed three years due to lack of funds. But there are indications that somehow, its efforts had paid off. “Before, you could see dog meat being sold in the Baguio market or in other areas in the city. Now, if there are those who still sell dog meat, they do it secretly,” Caguioa says. 

She says that, prompted by a police raid in July 2022 on a restaurant that continued to serve dog meat despite multiple apprehensions, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong issued a memorandum stating that the sale of dog meat is illegal and that as mayor he strongly prohibits it. 

AKF volunteers monitor the trade in dog meat. “We rely on people, on netizens. There’s no need to put [staff members] on site … We cannot handle the cost,” Caguioa says.

She adds that AKF has a good relationship with vets and the police, whom she describes as always ready to respond to a call.

Stronger weapon

When RA 10631 (or the amended Animal Welfare Act of 1998) was signed into law in 2013 by then President Benigno Aquino III, animal welfare groups were provided a stronger weapon to help stop animal abusers and dog meat traders. 

From a measly P5,000 fine for cruelty cases, the amended law now requires violators to pay between P30,000 and P100,000. Aside from the jail time (the maximum two-year imprisonment is retained), a fine of P250,000 may be imposed if the offense is committed by a syndicate, an offender who makes business out of cruelty to an animal, a public officer or employee, or when at least three animals are involved. 

Is the dog meat trade still rampant despite RA 1063? “I would say that it’s still existing but … it’s not as big as it used to be,” says Caguioa. “It never really stopped. The cases only decreased.” 

AKF’s hope is for the trade to be stamped out—still impossible at this point, according to Caguioa, but the organization is thankful that the Philippines is being recognized in Southeast Asia as the first country in the region to take an active role in the campaign.  

Like other untiring animal welfare advocates, Caguioa considers the signing in 2016 of a National Plan of Action to Eliminate the Dog Meat Trade, also an important achievement. This was a brainchild of Caguioa and AKF in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government; the Bureau of Animal Industry with stakeholders like the police, local vet offices and local government units; the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples; and NGOs.

Partnership

AKF wants to share its achievements in its campaign against the dog meat trade with its counterparts in Asia. Thus, it has partnered with the Thailand-based Soi Dog Foundation, which was founded in 2003 by John Dalley and his late wife Gill, both good friends of AKF founder Wartenberg. For years Soi’s focus was on stray dogs and cats, but it has now begun its fight against the dog meat trade in Thailand. 

“The partnership is doing ok. We’re really happy with our [respective] success and we [know] that we would be mutually helping each other,” says Caguioa.

For its campaign to fully succeed, AKF knows that public awareness of animal welfare in general and the dog meat trade in particular is imperative. Steps have been taken via education information; projects like spaying and neutering (AKF conducts these procedures for a minimal fee in its Tarlac shelter every Saturday and Sunday starting at 8 a.m.); antirabies vaccination; and lobbying for pertinent legislation. 

Seminars are conducted depending on requests made to AKF or issues that it wants highlighted. In 2022, it held online seminars for companies and schools. And since AKF also has a farm animal welfare program, partner schools visit the shelter and are shown its model poultry farm of cage-free chickens. 

“The biggest cruelty happens, not with our pets, but with farm animals,” Caguioa points out. “We immerse the students so they’ll understand the difference when they go to other farms.”

Other means of helping 

Actively fighting the dog meat trade doesn’t mean that AKF has focused all its energy and resources on this matter alone. Its volunteers are ready to help other animals in need, especially when calamity strikes. 

“Our volunteers are divided into different groups,” Caguioa says. “For example, if a fire breaks out in Tondo, Manila, a volunteer in the area can coordinate and relay information on the help that is needed.”

The eruption of Taal Volcano in 2020 decimated AKF’s calamity fund but did not stop its efforts to help animals in need. “It’s a good thing though that when disaster strikes [and we need funding], people’s donations pour in right away,” Caguioa says. She equates this to the people’s trust in AKF and the knowledge that their donations are spent judiciously.

Animal welfare awareness has improved in the provinces, especially among the youth, and this may be attributed to social media, Caguioa says. 

She says pet ownership expanded greatly during the pandemic lockdowns: “[For these people] owning a pet started to have a purpose and made them feel good.” But in 2021 when Covid cases began to wane and people were returning to their workplaces, and others were having financial problems, many wanted to give up their pets. 

AKF helped by providing veterinary access to those who could no longer afford their pets’ medical expenses. A “Barkyanihan” pet pantry was also set up. The same assistance was provided after Typhoon “Odette” hit Cebu in December 2021, with vets, donors, and volunteers playing a big part. 

Pet adoption

One of AKF’s important programs is pet adoption. Many adoptions of dogs and cats were made in 2022 and AKF intends to double the number this year through “Find Love Online” and events in malls in Manila. A strict screening process is conducted and follow-ups are made for two months, after which the adopters are randomly visited by AKF. 

To be sure, not all adopted dogs find their “forever home.” For various reasons, Caguioa says, “there are instances when we take a dog back to the shelter or when dogs are returned to us.” 

She has this to say to those with vague intentions of helping voiceless animals: “If you want to help them, please do so, and please do so actively. If you want to protect them, do something. We cannot be keyboard warriors all the time. If you cannot help because of whatever factors, you can always donate. You can help educate. You can make people be aware. You cannot just say you love animals. You cannot just say ‘I’m concerned about animals’ without really doing something. I have always been a believer of Nike’s tagline to ‘just do it.’”

Speaking for myself, in 2008 I stopped the transport of a female dog to a northern province. She was to be butchered and served for someone’s birthday party. She was chased by men wielding a big fish hook and smoked out of the drainage canal in which she tried to hide from them—quite an ordeal. 

I managed to claim her, decided to bring her home, and named her Lucky. She died of old age last year. 

With resolve, and as long as animal welfare groups like AKF are there to show the way, there will be a hundred more Luckys that we can save.

For updates and information on donations, visit AKF’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AKFanimalrescue. —Ed.

The post Save the dogs (and other creatures) appeared first on CoverStory.

I had no managerial skills, no flair for administrative work, no background in social work which, I later learned, was essential in an agency such as this. But I charged head-on, come what may! All I ever wanted at that time was enough money to feed myself. 

So I spent the first couple of weeks digging into the old filing cabinets. I skimmed through the files and folders, leafed through volumes of references, and mustered all the powers I could to learn the ins and outs of the NGO. I scrutinized every page, receipt, and record. I lingered over old photos of men and women celebrating grand occasions or engaging in outreach programs and projects for needy communities: health care, livelihood, disaster relief. 

It was not easy but I eventually learned the ropes, including the arduous task of complying with the yearly requirements imposed by government agencies and monitoring bodies. I also came to realize that NGOs are more effective and direct in accomplishing positive changes in the lives of local people.

How it began

In 1970, Community Chests and Councils of the Philippines (remember the Red Feather?) was formed. It was a small group of businesspersons and community leaders leading 19 affiliated community chests nationwide that raised and allocated funds to other sociocivic organizations addressing social welfare issues. 

Related: She shows the way to volunteerism and empowerment

Seven years later, its name was changed to United Way Philippines Inc., an affiliate of the US-based United Way Worldwide. With several provincial chapters, UWPI was able to generate millions of pesos annually from membership fees, donations, grants and proceeds from fund-raising activities. The funds were allocated to its programs in the countryside. The roster of leaders and members was dotted with such names as Fidel V. Ramos, Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, Lourdes R. Quisumbing, Jorge L. Araneta, Pilita Corrales, Alejandro R. Roces, and Leticia R. Shahani, among many others. 

In its heyday, UWPI established a school for the children of marginalized families as part of its formal and nonformal education programs. Scholarships were granted to poor but deserving college students. Through its social lending program, it provided capital to small-scale businesses all over the country, and to beneficiaries who were able to renew their loans four or more times a year. Livelihood and community development projects were initiated in various provinces: goat- and duck-raising, construction of deep wells, improvement of schools and day-care centers, building of “economic gardens.” Networking with other donor organizations abroad also became part of its task.

‘Munting Panaginip’

In partnership with other institutions and foundations, UWPI launched in 1999 “Operation: Make a Wish”—a project for children 12 years old and below which aimed “to grant the last wishes and simple dreams of the poorest among the poor children with terminal illnesses.” Later called “Munting Panaginip” (A Small Dream}, the project began with five children afflicted with cancer whose wishes for musical instruments, play stations, bicycles, and life-sized stuffed toys were granted.

The number of beneficiaries rose yearly and reached as high as 96 in 2007. Eventually, however, limited funds constrained operations to include only provisions for monthly financial assistance, solely to be used for medicines and lab expenses. At present, with generous sponsorships, there are only 42 beneficiaries; the number rises when the funds allow, notwithstanding the backlog of applicants.

Through Munting Panaginip, UWPI finds unlimited pleasure in helping sick children, especially if a “warrior” is healed and becomes cancer-free. But there are cases of relapse that end in unexpected deaths. At first, I relished those times when ailing children came to the office with their parents to receive their monthly assistance. Some of the children were quiet and withdrawn, most probably because of their health conditions. It gave us joy when others seemed just fine, greeting us warmly like small “superheroes fighting big battles.”

One day in 2012, while enjoying a free vacation in an island resort, I received a text message. One of the children, a 10-year-old Egyptian Filipino boy afflicted with leukemia, the only child of a single mother, had passed away. I was quiet for a second, and then burst into unabashed tears in front of my baffled companions. A 61-year-old is not exempt from the grips of sorrow, right? I have since tried to learn the art of keeping detached and mastering the act of expecting the unexpected.

Undying Wishes of Pinoys Inc.

Also in 2012, United Way Philippines Inc. became Undying Wishes of Pinoys Inc., keeping its initials intact. 

Now governed by like-minded men and women whose lives are marked by empathy, if not generosity, UWPI continues to achieve its vision and accomplish its mission of “effectively mobilizing its resources for the welfare and growth of the Filipino family in a marginalized society.” Although not as huge as before, UWPI plays its role to the hilt as a registered and licensed NGO—one of 60,000 in the Philippines, according to the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations—and manages to conduct medical missions in depressed barangays in Metro Manila. 

It regularly holds gift-giving activities and extends financial assistance to improve the lives, albeit in a small way, of the elderly, women, children, and youth. It reaches out to help persons deprived of liberty, orphans, out-of-school kids and street children, as well as victims of natural disasters. 

With its provincial chapters gone, UWPI is not without seemingly insurmountable challenges. Membership continues to dwindle and grants are rare. But the funds generated are enough to sustain operations, thanks to its prudent financial managers. 

The pandemic posed the greatest challenge to UWPI early in 2020. Due to strict quarantine measures, whether enhanced, modified, granular or general, UWPI was in shackles and could not extend a helping hand, much like the rest. No children could visit us to say hello. Virtual meetings and online transactions were deemed the most appropriate solutions then. But as has been proven several times, there would always be a way if there was a will. 

When UWPI ended its 50-year corporate existence in 2020, an amendment was filed to make it perpetual, which was approved in 2022. Still under a committed 11-member board of directors, and supported by benevolent donors, UWPI partnered with kindred agencies to meet the needs of jeepney drivers whose main source of livelihood was halted during the lockdowns and who were forced to beg for alms. Cash donations were deposited in the bank accounts of entities that organized community or food pantries, maintained isolation/quarantine facilities to decongest hospitals in the surge of Covid-19 cases, and supported health workers and frontliners. 

For the benefit of others 

Truth be told, UWPI exists, not for its own benefit, but for that of others. But the executive director, whose management and leadership skills are crucial in sustaining an organization, is unsure if he has been successful to this extent. He is likewise unsure if there is good karma in all this; the money being used is not from his own pocket, anyway, and he is being paid for doing the job. 

As it is, UWPI is not unlike an ageing man struggling daily to survive in an ever-changing world, not living in the past, not anxious for the future, merely trying to focus on the here and now.

The post To help ailing children and others disadvantaged appeared first on CoverStory.

My boyfriend and I have been together for three years. We officially got together a few months before the pandemic. Thankfully, our love survived it. 

Recently, he was accepted into a graduate studies program in New York. He will be there for two years. I know we have all the tools of technology to help us, just as we did at the height of the pandemic. But somehow, his being in a different country and time zone is making me a little anxious. I’m currently still doing hybrid work and I expect that arrangement to remain at least for the next six months. Can you give us some guidelines on how to make this long-distance relationship (LDR) work? — Anna

Related: Single parent, 52, wonders if she should date again

CATHY:  Thank you for your letter, Anna. If I were to summarize the five tenets that make an LDR work, it would be these: Communication. Creativity. Clarity. Consistency. Care. Let me describe each one as it applies to your relationship. 

The two of you survived a pandemic which, I am certain, imposed tremendous strains and restrictions on your relationship just as it did on so many other relationships over the last two and a half years. Congratulations for surviving it beautifully! And now this new challenge of geographic and time zones is upon you. Fortunately, your boyfriend will be in the East Coast where there is a 12-hour difference with Manila. Why do I say “fortunately”? Because it will be simpler for the two of you to figure out the time difference:  9 a.m. in his side of the world will be 9 p.m. of the same day in yours.  

Navigating the time difference adeptly and carving out time for each other each day to communicate will be essential to the success of your LDR.

Communication, the first C, is key if you want to make your relationship work. Maintaining constant communication should be your No. 1 priority to ensure that you are always on the same page as your partner.

Creativity is also crucial in sustaining an LDR and making it thrive. Think of ways to include each other in your day-to-day lives. Make the weekends count and make them something that the both of you will look forward to. For example, just because you are not physically together does not mean you cannot watch a movie together! You can set up a Zoom call and from there share-screen your favorite film, TV series or K-drama. 

Take advantage of the tools that technology has given us. Zoom, FaceTime, or video calls bring you together in a more intimate setting.  Meals can be shared even while on opposite time zones. Mark and I used to have a ritual called “brinner”—breakfast in his side of the world, dinner in mine. There are so many ways to be creative!

Clarity is important to avoid jealousy and false assumptions. Be clear with what you want and need and say it in a calm and kind manner.  Avoiding petty arguments is very important in a long-distance relationship. In a healthy relationship, you or your partner must not be second-guessing the other. This will be very stressful, more so if it happens in an LDR. When in doubt, ask, and then discuss the issues like two mature adults who love each other. 

Consistency is very important. Will you be talking every day? How much time will you be spending together virtually on weekends? These things need to be clear and laid out. Because you are apart, you have lives that need to be lived in separate time zones. You can still be a part of each other’s lives if you are intentional about your activities, both together and apart. If things need to be adjusted because of work or life responsibilities on certain days, then have the maturity and flexibility to adjust, knowing that it simply is what it is. 

Care (and love), of course, is the backbone of your relationship. Even when apart, there are so many ways to show that you care for your partner and are thinking about them. Don’t hold back from telling your partner how much you care about them. Send care packages or flowers when they least expect it, old-fashioned mail, etc. Go on dates when there are milestones to be celebrated. It is very common now to see couples on virtual dates in their favorite restaurants or date places. 

Make sure every occasion you and your partner spend together is special. Relationships take work, but when you love someone it really isn’t difficult. Sharing a good time and building memories when you are together and apart helps give you and your partner something to look forward to the next time around. 

As Charles Dickens wrote, “The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.” God bless you both. 

MARK :  Anna, congratulations that your love “survived” the pandemic! Congratulations also to your partner for going to graduate school. Undoubtedly, the next two years will be busy and challenging for both of you. 

An LDR that is done well supports the notion “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Without hard work and intention, it could atrophy to “Out of sight, out of mind.”   

The keys to a successful LDR, like all relationships, are trust, communication and spending intentional time together. 

Trust has been defined as “firm belief in the reliability, truth or ability of someone.” I’m guessing that over the past three years you have developed enough trust in one another to want to continue investing your time in this relationship. It’s normal to experience some fear wondering whether there’s enough “glue” in the relationship to hold it together thousands of miles apart. Time will tell.

Excellent communication is essential for any relationship to work, especially in an LDR. Having mutually agreeable and clear expectations on what days, times and methods you will communicate with one another is critical. With Zoom, Facetime, texting, and email, this is easier than ever before. 

Cathy and I found ways to adapt to the 12-hour time difference between the United States and the Philippines. We set up “brinner dates” several times a week. I would be eating breakfast in the US at the same time she was having dinner, or vice versa—thus “brinner”! We’d set up our phones at the dinner table and Facetime with one another while eating, and catch up on our days.  It was just like we were across the table from one another instead of in opposite sides of the world.

Be intentional about your time together. We had weekly “SunDates”.  Each Sunday we got dressed up, just like when we were going out on the town together, and had a virtual date. 

An excellent way to start is going through the book “Eight Dates” together. This practical, powerful book by renowned marriage and relationship experts John and Julie Gottman walks you through having eight dates together. Each week there are readings and questions to discuss during your date. It covers the most critical topics that lead couples to a joyful relationship, such as: trust and commitment, conflict management, work and money, family, and children, etc. 

Additionally, we sent daily texts or emails to encourage one another and made sure that we celebrated special events together virtually, like birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. 

I believe having intentional time in the virtual world strengthened our relationship as we focused on what matters most to us in our time apart. 

It’s also important to have a “back together again” time planned. It helps to have a countdown to when you’ll be reunited. When you’re back together, plan some “down days” where you can just relax and not be in go mode all the time. Enjoy and cherish one another’s presence again.

Helping one another be the best you that you can be is what ultimately makes an LDR work. Focus on building up one another so you can enjoy an LTR—a long-term relationship. Best wishes to you both!

We’d love to hear from you. Please email us at [email protected].

Cathy is in private practice as a grief, loss, and transitions coach. She is an author of four books, two of them on grief. 

Mark has been a registered nurse for 47 years and is an educator specializing in end-of-life care. He was director for training at the second largest hospice in North Carolina in the United States. —Ed.

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