A party-list lawmaker is pushing Congress to pass a bill strengthening the Animal Welfare Act after the remains of 29 pets were found dumped in a vacant lot in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, with the discovery prompting a crematorium's closure and renewed calls for tougher penalties.
Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña urged the passage of House Bill No. 11495, the proposed Animal Life Advocacy and Guardianship Act, following reports that 26 dogs and three cats were discarded like garbage, according to CDN Digital.
What happened in Bulacan
An animal rescue page on Facebook, Luna and Furry Siblings, reported the remains were thrown away in a vacant lot. The pets had no microchips, but each was labeled with its exact name and weight at the time of death, a detail that suggests they came from a facility that had kept records before failing its clients.
The Philippine Animal Welfare Society called on pet owners who may have been deceived by the crematorium to come forward and pursue legal action, Philstar.com reported. PAWS noted the images were shocking but said the incident may not directly violate the existing Animal Welfare Act if the animals were already dead when handed over, a legal gap the ALAGA bill aims to close.
Authorities have since moved against the establishment. Senator Bong Revilla ordered an investigation after the facility failed to provide sufficient documentation proving the animals entrusted to it had been cremated, and the crematorium was shut down, BNC reported.
Cendaña: 'Even animals deserve proper burial'
Cendaña did not mince words in a post on X, formerly Twitter, mixing Filipino and English in a way many of our readers will recognize as the plain language of genuine anger.
“Nakakalungkot at nakakagalit itong ganitong ginawang pag tapon sa labi ng mga aso at pusa na parang ordinaryong basura. Kahit hayop deserve naman ng maayos na libing,”
(It is deeply saddening and infuriating to learn what was done to the remains of pet dogs and cats, as if they were mere trash. Even animals deserve a proper burial.)
“If indeed these were dumped by pet aftercare facilities then we need them to be held to account and have their business licenses suspended,” he added.
Cendaña said enacting the ALAGA bill would create proper regulation of animal control facilities and require proper reporting and documentation for pets, so no family has to wonder whether their beloved animal was cremated as promised or left to rot in a vacant lot.
Who authored the ALAGA bill
Cendaña is not alone in this fight. Akbayan Reps. Chel Diokno and Dadah Kiram Ismula, along with Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, co-authored HB No. 11495. The bill would amend the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, as amended by Republic Act No. 10631.
Former senator Leila de Lima has also joined the calls for stricter animal welfare laws and accountability, The Manila Times reported, condemning the dumping as an act of cruelty.
What the ALAGA bill would change
The bill's first section would mandate the government to promote the humane and ethical treatment of animals based on five criteria: adequate nutrition, an appropriate physical environment, optimal health and veterinary care, opportunities to express natural behaviors, and a positive mental state free from fear, distress, and suffering.
“The state recognizes animals as sentient beings capable of feeling pain, distress, comfort, and pleasure,” the proposed Section 1 reads. It would align Philippine law with the universal declaration on animal welfare, world organization for animal health standards, and the country's obligations under the convention on biological diversity and CITES.
Rules on humane euthanasia
A new Section 5(c) would govern humane euthanasia, allowing it only when performed by a licensed veterinarian on animals that are severely injured, terminally ill, or afflicted with a highly communicable disease.
Even then, the procedure would require transparency. The conduct of euthanasia must be reported to the public at least eight hours in advance through social media or other publicly accessible means, accompanied by a veterinarian's assessment.
Stiffer penalties for animal cruelty
The bill prescribes imprisonment of one year, six months and one day to three years, plus a fine of ₱100,000 to ₱500,000, for causing the death of an animal.
Causing grave injury carries one year and one day to one year and six months behind bars, with a fine of ₱50,000 to ₱80,000, if the animal survives but is severely injured and needs human intervention to stay alive. Lesser injuries would mean six months to one year in prison and a fine not exceeding ₱30,000.
Why this matters beyond Bulacan
For a nation of animal lovers, from the carabao in our rice fields to the aspin guarding sari-sari stores, this case cuts deep. Pet aftercare is a growing industry, and families pay for cremation services believing their animals will be treated with dignity in death. The Bulacan incident shows what happens when that trust meets no meaningful regulation.
PAWS's own assessment exposes the weakness of the current law: if the animals were already dead when turned over, the dumping may not even be a violation. That is not a technicality. That is a hole in our statutes, and the ALAGA bill is the plug.
Congress now has the evidence, the public outrage, and a ready-made bill. What remains is the political will to pass it before the next vacant lot tells the same story.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ALAGA bill?
House Bill No. 11495, the proposed Animal Life Advocacy and Guardianship Act, would amend the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 to recognize animals as sentient beings, regulate aftercare facilities, set euthanasia rules, and impose stiffer penalties for animal cruelty.
What happened in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan?
The remains of 26 dogs and three cats were found dumped in a vacant lot, labeled with their names and weights at death but without microchips. The pet crematorium suspected of dumping them has been shut down pending investigation.
What penalties does the bill propose?
Causing an animal's death would carry up to three years in prison and a fine of up to ₱500,000, with lighter penalties for grave and minor injuries.