by: Carlos Ardosa

In the steadily growing community of purebred dog hobbyists and breeders, the Asian Kennel Club Union of the Philippines, Inc. (AKCUPI) has gone beyond the traditional purebred registering function.

A neophyte in the business having been launched only last March 30, 2008, the club while successfully listing over 8,000 purebred dogs, is earning a reputation as an organization with a social commitment. After a few months of its inception, it set aside a certain budget for a massive free anti-rabies vaccination program in support of the government’s campaign to eradicate rabies by year 2010 with the multi-sectoral implementation of R.A. 9482 (Anti-Rabies bill)

The program was initially launched in May and June last year in the six districts of Manila in cooperation with Vice Mayor Isko Moreno’s Kaagapay Office and barangay chairmen. Volunteer veterinarians led by Dr. Nathaniel Cheng and the club officers led by its president/CEO Bernie Jalandoni Repalbor came in full force to attend to hundreds of residents with their dogs (some were aspins or what used to be called askal)and cats for anti-rabies shot. The areas that were covered by the program were Tondo, Sampaloc, Sta. Cruz, Sta. Mesa, and San Andres.

After its program in Manila, the AKCUPI team conducted its anti-rabies vaccination in the airport police neighborhood in Paranaque where police dogs and other breeds were vaccinated. During the feast of St. Francis who is the patron saint of pets in October, the AKCUPI team participated in another anti-rabies vaccination as part of “Animal Day and Pet Blessing” in Greenhills Shopping parking area and at Tiendesitas. In Taguig, the AKCUPI team was also involved in “World Rabies Day” where it conducted free anti-rabies vaccination among pets.

While future vaccination projects are still under wraps, the club has also focused its attention on meaningful endeavors. One such undertaking was the “Dog Walk for a Cause” last October which was spearheaded by the city government of Antipolo and a group of veterinarians to raise awareness on responsible pet ownership.

Since its launching, the club has been maintaining regular contacts with NGOs with regard to the latter’s animal welfare crusade. The club has reiterated its support to the animal welfare advocacy of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) led by Ms. Nita Hontiveros Lichauco, Compassion and Responsibility to Animals (CARA) headed by Ms. Nancy Cu-Unjieng and the Animal Welfare Coalition (AWC).

The club has also established links with the Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines (VPAP) and Philippine Animal Health Association (PAHA). In the annual convention of the two groups, AKCUPI put up its own booth, enlightened the participants about the new club, and disseminated information materials about the club.

Aside from these endeavors that set it apart from its old rival and make a difference in the lives of its fast-growing clientele of purebred dog hobbyists, breeders, handlers, and shooters is its efficient and hassle-free service rendered by a lean yet energetic staff composed of Janet Tubil, Erwin Alegado, Jheck Nadala , and Rommel Aviles as well as its affordable fee, waived membership fee, miscellaneous fee and other surcharges. The club boasts of having in its roster of registrants owners of champions and hall of famers like Palawan Stalwart Ethan, Philippine Hall of Famer owned by Primo Co Sr., Exemplar’s Boxer Hunk, Philippine Hall of Famer owned by Edgardo Cruz; Cheche of Veron and Exemplar Sam Milby Phi, both Philippine Champions owned by Paul Ryan Co; Rolling Green Dapey and Xoltan Von Vierhundert Hertz (Germany), both Philippine Champions owned by Fe Lanny Alegado; and St. Joe’s Tiny Angel, Philippine Champion owned by Jester Jo Ong Chuan. This number has been bolstered anew with the entry of Henry G. Babiera, the biggest single dog owner in the country with over 700 dogs. Babiera, AKCUPI’s chairman of the board for International Affairs, is a top art and antique dealer in Southeast Asia, and is an avid animal lover having established the Lombija Wildlife Center in Nueva Valencia in Guimaras island which features a wildlife research and breeding center, a zoological park, a heritage plaza, and a mountain resort. His entry into breeding and showing of purebred dogs took the whole dog world by storm. Babiera is one of the founding members of the Chihuahua Federation Club of the Philippines, Inc. and his Kennels of Lombija boasts of having some of the best terrier, toy, hound and non-sporting breeds in the country today.

AKCUPI’s overnight success, stability and credibility have been undermined by its detractors, yet it remains steadfast in its vision and mission and is upbeat that it will forge ahead.

From the time of its establishment, AKCUPI been facing squarely the issues raised by its competitor against it like the legality of its existence and integrity of its pedigree. AKCUPI president and CEO Bernie Jalandoni Repalbor stressed that while the new club’s registration fee is considerably lower, the quality of its pedigree is not sacrificed, and just like any pedigree, is legitimate and can stand scrutiny in the Philippines and worldwide. Registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Trade and Industry, AKCUPI is an independent registering body for purebred dogs and does not need any recognition from an old rival club. It stands behind every pedigree it issues as each document is carefully scrutinized before being accepted for registration. Repalbor clarified that this does not mean that if a dog is registered with a club not a member of international organizations like FCI or AKU, the papers are of dubious origin. It is interesting to note that other world organizations like the AKC, the Kennel Club of England and Canadian Kennel Club are just examples of dog organizations not members of FCI nor AKU. AKCUPI is affiliated with the Taiwan-based Kennel Club Union of Asia (KCUA) with China, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Singapore as the other members.

While AKCUPI is a stock and profit corporation, making profit is not its main purpose but to make it affordable for every dog owner to register their dogs with the club. Henry G. Babiera, AKCUPI’s chairman of the board for International Affairs and president/CEO of Prime Asia Trade Planners and Convention Organizer (PATEPCO)said the free anti-rabies vaccination undertaken by the club last year is solid proof that AKCUPI’s mission/vision is encompassing and that it has gone out of its so-called comfort zone by undertaking endeavors or freebies that would lend meaning to its existence. He added that AKCUPI’s entry into the dog world should be viewed as a healthy co-existence with a dominant rival club that has been in the business for over four decades. “There should be a recognition and acceptance of one’s existence by the other club which will redound to the development of the canine world through better service and worthwhile activities.” Babiera said. He cited that in other countries, there is no single club that monopolizes the purebred dog registration business, and the more the clubs there are, the better, and the ultimate beneficiaries are the dog owners/breeders who have the choice of club to register their pets with. Through healthy competition, issues like upgrading of quality and upkeep/wellness of canine would be properly addressed.

The club has been conducting marketing sorties in Luzon and Western Visayas as part of its aggressive registration drive to widen its reach beyond Metro Manila. In Baguio, the marketing team conducted a meeting with over 200 dog aficionados at the Rose Bowl Restaurant. Among those which pledged their support to the club were the German Shepherd dog enthusiasts. Next in the team’s itinerary was Iloilo where they had initial talks with the local dog club officers and other dog fanciers. The team also had a meeting with dog breeders at the Lombija Wildlife Center in Guimaras.

It will be a hectic 2009 for AKCUPI as it has lined up year-long activities composed of world class dog shows and community-oriented and socially-relevant events like anti-rabies vaccination programs and educational talks. The People’s Village at Tiendesitas En Frontera Verde on Ortigas Ave. cor. E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. (C-5) in Pasig City is the official venue of the club’s All Breed Championship Dog Shows starting this month which will be adjudicated by world-renowned dog show judges from the US, Canada and Japan.

Man’s best friend is known to play different roles under varying, exciting, and sometimes complex situations. Through the years, our canine friend – whether it is aspin (asong Pinoy) or purebred has evolved from a mere guardian, pet dog or dog companion, hugged, cuddled, and given the tender loving care as if being part of the family and an indispensable member of the household. The pet has assumed diverse roles – in research work, in therapy visiting homes for the aged and hospitals, as part of a rescue and relief work, in police or security operations, in children’s parties performing tricks, or as part of TV and film cast and commercials, our dog has played a crucial role in our life. .- which has either captivated or conquered our hearts.

But there’s another side to a dog’s life – and it is his other potential as a “beauty contestant.” Through dog shows staged by different dog clubs, the other side of our favorite pet is discovered by the meticulous examination and observation of international dog judges in a competition considered as “a beauty pageant for dogs.” The pet entry undergoes the rigid and meticulous scrutiny by these judges once he enters the ring with his handler. The judges carefully examine the entry, determine how close he is to the characteristics of their breed standard, see the major and minor faults, his health, the curve of his tail and the way he carries himself.

This is just a slice of the two-day “All-Breed Dog Show” of the Asian Kennel Club Union of the Philippines, Inc. (AKCUPI) held January 31-February 1 2009 at the People’s Village of Tiendesitas en Frontera Verde at the corner of Ortigas Ave. and E. Rodriguez, Jr. Ave. (C-5), Pasig City, this time exuding a fiesta atmosphere with buntings all over the place. The maiden dog shows of AKCUPI were unprecedented in the annals of dog shows in the country in so many ways. Four shows were held in one event. Event co-organizer Prime Asia Trade Planner and Convention Organizer (PATEPCO) with Henry G. Babiera at the helm made lavish preparations to make the shows set apart from other dog shows – the elegantly bedecked show venue and the marathon, blow-blow-tv documentation of the events. There was a horse-drawn cart or karetela provided to tour the four dog show judges, Gregory Anderson, John C. Frederick Peddie, Tadashi Mimura, Kazumaru Mikuni around Tiendesitas’ external complex. An ati-atihan tribe similar to the mardi gras was posted at the entrance of the People’s Village as part of the welcome party for the judges.

Over 200 entries took part in the dog shows with the first two shows on January 31 devoted to terrier, herding, sporting and hound, and the third and fourth shows on February 1 allotted for non-sporting, working and toy.

Since it is a meticulous and tedious process, judging required the patience and perseverance of the jurors.. So if these international all-breed judges were taking long hours to have the entries and their handlers walked, run around the rings for many times, or examined the entries on the table, it was an earnest effort on their part to select carefully the entries who stand out and deserving of an award.

Each judge had his own choice of the winner for group, best in show, best Philippine-born in show and best baby puppy in show. But the top winners were those which copped the best in show, best Philippine-born in show, and best baby puppy in show. Judge Anderson’s best in show and best Philippine-born in show choice is a Pomeranian, Phil Gr Ch Canton Cover Girl, owned by John Irvin Uy, best puppy in show is Australian Terrier, Lombija’s Winsleywood, owned by Henry G. Babiera, Judge Peddie’s pick for best in show and best Philippine-born in show is Cocker Spaniel, Clerwood Eye of the Tiger, owned by Motoei Furukawa, and his best puppy in show is Miniature Pinscher, Hen’s Vin Hotrud. Judge Mimura’s best in show is Shih Tzu, Phil Gr Ch Ashbury Kiss My Twist, while his best Philippine-born in show is Siberian Husky, Broadmoor Cool Champagne and his best baby puppy in show is Australian Terrier, Lombija’s Winsleywood. Judge Mikuni’s best in show is Shih Tzu, Phi Gr Ch Ashbury Kiss My Twist, owned by Irene Tan Luy and Penny Cham, best Philippine-born in show is Dachshund Standard Uncle Sam’s Red Dragon and best baby puppy in show is Australian Terrier, Lombija’s Wilbury Nightwinds, owned by Henry G. Babiera. Phi Gr Ch Ashbury Kiss My Twist which is a Pomeranian and both the best in show choice of Judges Mimura and Mikuni, is a Hall of Famer at PCCI.

During their stay in the country, the judges were given a taste of Philippine hospitality, culture and cuisine. They had a glimpse at the scenic spots, including Tagaytay and Corrigidor, as well as samples of Filipino food when they went to a fine dining native restaurant.

The maiden shows were an overwhelming success not only in the big of entries and the full support of the sponsors which put up booths but also the attendance of personalities in the dog world, including those from the veterinary field., among whom were former Senator Nikki Coseteng, Jody Coseteng, Atty. Jose Agaton Sibal, president of Central Law Books, Lan Cheng-Fong, president of the Kennel Club Union of Asia, AKCUPI’s mother club, Col. Ricardo Mendoza, one of the founders of the Philippine Canine Club, Inc. (PCCI), Roberto Tesoro, Rocio de Vega, Edgardo Cruz, Joseph Ongchuan and Penny Cham, former PCCI presidents, Jimmy Gosiako, Fe Lanny Alegado, Primo Co Sr, and Aldo Tiu, former PCCI directors, Rene Aguirre, Adelfa Aguirre, Patricia Carroscoso, Art Bautista, Terry Tan, and Jay Tan.