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.
