The City of Cebu is chosen as the second Most Pet-Friendly City in Asia by an online travel platform.
The four Aspins (asong Pinoy) at the Cebu City Hall bark up to that honor.
The four Aspins - Kenneth, Poochie, Tiger, and Manny - are being accorded the welcome and respect that employees give to guests or visitors, and to their colleagues at the Cebu City Hall.
Dr. Alice Utlang, city veterinarian, confirmed that the four are stray dogs that have been adopted at the City Hall.
The presence of the four Aspins roaming freely draws the attention of visitors, most especially when the dogs are seen at the lobby of the Mayor’s Office.
The dogs are tidy and healthy, and demonstrate courteousness and friendliness.
The Aspins wear name tags and a collar bearing a pendant with the seal of the City of Cebu.
GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak chanced upon three of them - Poochie, Manny, and Tiger - in a visit to the City Hall.
The three were also seen being welcomed into the Mayor’s Office.
They have been staying at the City Hall for quite a long time already, it was learned from Rachel Bo-o who takes care of them, and that the officials and employees are endeared to their charm.
One of those who have been smitten by the charm of these dogs is the wife of Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia. The dogs would come to meet the city's First Lady and would hop in her car.
Based on the online travel platform, Cebu City is chosen as the second on the list of Most Pet-Friendly Cities in Asia, and Number One in the Philippines for upholding the value and protecting the rights of pets.
Further, more establishments in Cebu City such as malls and hotels are observed to have accommodated the presence of pets.
Mayor Garcia quotes Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer renowned for his anti-colonial nationalism, on how a nation's ethics can be judged by the way it treats animals.
"The greatness of a nation, or a city, and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated," Garcia said.
First on the list of Asian cities that are most pet-friendly is Da Nang in Vietnam, third and fourth are Hanoi and Nha Trang, respectively, also in Vietnam. Tainan, Taiwan takes on the fifth spot, while Pattaya, Thailand is on the sixth place.