The Asian Kennel Union of the Philippines, Inc. (AKCUPI) is turning a new leaf as it marks its first anniversary.
Launched last March 30, 2008, which coincided with the blessing and inauguration of its corporate offices on 316 Quezon Ave., Quezon City, AKCUPI was established in answer to the growing clamor for an alternative dog-registering club that offers affordable registration rates and dependable and reliable service.
To date, the club has registered over 8,000 purebred dogs from Metro-Manila and the provinces. It has 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.
The club has gone beyond its purebred dog registering function by pursuing its 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.
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.
