RABIES-FREE. The Department of Agriculture in Caraga declares a city and 12 municipalities in the region as rabies-free areas on Monday (April 4, 2022). Photo shows a vaccination activity in Butuan City, conducted by DA-13 during the culmination of Rabies Month on March 31, 2022. (Photo courtesy of DA-13) BUTUAN CITY - The Department of Agriculture in Caraga (DA-13) has declared 13 local government units (LGUs), including 12 island municipalities, rabies-free. Twelve of the rabies-free LGUs are island municipalities in the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands, and the other one is Bislig City in Surigao del Sur, Dr. Esther Cardeno, DA-13 anti-rabies coordinator, said Monday. Data provided by DA-13 also indicated that of Caraga's 234,239 dog population as of 2020, 96,211 have been inoculated with the anti-rabies vaccine. This translates to a meager 41 percent vaccination rate. "Our target is supposedly 70 percent, but unfortunately we were not able to hit it. This