Pampanga First District Congressman Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. expressed support for the proposal of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) to institutionalize free spaying and neutering services in local government units by incentivizing private veterinarians.
PAWS has drafted a model ordinance encouraging LGUs to grant tax and business permit rebates to veterinarians who will provide free “kapon” services, particularly for indigent pet owners.
“For the private veterinarians in a certain city na bigyan nila ng rebate on the business permits and the taxes so that, in turn, these veterinarians… will offer libreng kapon of 10 kapon lang a month for the indigents of their community,” said Anna Cabrera during a legal advocacy event on April 18, 2026.
“I support the call of PAWS for LGUs to integrate free spaying and neutering services into their local policies,” Lazatin said, adding that the initiative had already been implemented during his tenure as Angeles City mayor.
Under his administration, the Angeles City government enacted the Animal Welfare and Protection Code, principally authored by Arvin Suller, which established an animal welfare committee, mandated breeder registration, promoted adoption and rehoming, and provided free spay/neuter and anti-rabies vaccination through the City Veterinary Office.
Records show that 5,973 pets were spayed or neutered, while 130,520 animals were vaccinated. The ordinance also led to the establishment of a 103-capacity “no-kill” animal shelter, which received accreditation from the Bureau of Animal Industry—the first of its kind in Pampanga.
Now serving in Congress, Lazatin continues to advocate for animal welfare through House Bill No. 8710, or the proposed Public Veterinary Clinics and Animal Shelter Development Act, which seeks to establish animal shelters and public veterinary clinics in every city and municipality, enforce a strict no-kill policy, and expand access to essential veterinary services.
The proposed measure also promotes adoption and rehoming of unclaimed animals, subject to guidelines set by local veterinary offices.
Meanwhile, a familiar symbol of Angeles City’s animal welfare efforts is “Felix,” a rescue cat once known as the city government’s Rat Control Officer. As a kitten, Felix was rescued within the Angeles City Hall premises by City Veterinary Office personnel Eder Pasamonte. On August 7, 2019, he was adopted by Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel to help address rodent concerns at the Mayor’s Office. Felix has since moved to Congress following Lazatin’s election as Pampanga First District Representative.
