At first glance, parang imposible. DPWH is home to engineers, architects, and planners — sila ang nagtatayo ng tulay, kalsada, at flood control projects. Pero kung gugustuhin, may butas na pwedeng pasukan ang Veterinary Medicine. Para paraan lang yan.
After all, infrastructure is not just about cement and steel — it’s also about public health, environment, and community resilience. Charot.
Puwedeng Entry Points ng Veterinarian sa DPWH
Environmental & Zoonotic Risk Advisor
Flood control projects often deal with stagnant water, breeding grounds for mosquitoes, leptospirosis, and other zoonotic threats.
Sino ba ang experts sa zoonoses? Veterinarians.
Slaughterhouse & Market Infrastructure
DPWH builds and renovates abattoirs and markets. Veterinarians can help design layouts that follow food safety and animal welfare standards.
Disaster Evacuation Planning
Every typhoon or earthquake, families bring pets and livestock to evacuation centers. A vet’s role in planning animal-friendly shelters makes DPWH’s work more holistic.
Biosecurity in Construction Projects
Big projects disturb ecosystems and animal habitats. Veterinarians can guide DPWH in mitigating risks of disease spread from displaced wildlife or livestock.
One Health Integration
DPWH can proudly say they are not just builders of roads and bridges, but partners in the “One Health” approach — human, animal, and environmental health working together.
Ang Katotohanan
Currently, walang plantilla position for veterinarians inside DPWH. Pero if policy-makers push for a Public Health & Biosecurity Division within infrastructure projects, vets can be legitimized as part of the team.
Kumbaga, hindi man tayo gagawa ng tulay, tayo ang magbabantay na walang dumadaloy na sakit sa ilalim nito.
Proposal punchline:
“Kung may Engineer II sa DPWH, bakit hindi pwedeng may Veterinarian I for Biosecurity and One Health?”
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
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