Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is making animal welfare part of workplace safety and corporate responsibility, with its CATropa program benefiting more than 800 cats and dogs since its launch in 2024.
The initiative seeks to address the presence of community animals in company properties through humane population management, veterinary care, and partnerships with animal welfare groups, while keeping employees, customers, and animals safe.
Meralco showcased the program at the first Philippine Animal Welfare Conference (PAWCON 2026), held November 9 to 10 in Makati City, highlighting how businesses can integrate animal protection into everyday workplace policies rather than treat it as an occasional outreach activity.
Michelle Caguioa, head of advocacy communications management and CATropa program manager, said companies could build animal welfare initiatives around their own corporate values.
For Meralco, that value is malasakit, or genuine concern for others, including animals sharing the communities where the power distributor operates.
“Caring for animals is also part of caring for the communities where we work and serve,” Caguioa said, stressing that good intentions must be backed by clear guidelines, trained personnel, veterinary partners, and established procedures.
She said companies could responsibly manage community animals without compromising workplace safety, provided they adopt systematic and humane approaches.
Since 2024, CATropa has extended its reach beyond Meralco properties through community-based programs and partnerships, demonstrating how private companies can contribute to animal welfare while strengthening their relationships with surrounding communities.
Meralco has worked with several animal welfare organizations, including the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), which organized PAWCON 2026 to bring together advocates, government officials, policymakers, veterinarians, legal professionals, academics, and community groups.
The conference provided a platform to exchange best practices and develop stronger collaboration on animal protection and more sustainable solutions to the country’s animal welfare concerns.
PAWS executive director Atty. Anna Cabrera said bringing advocates together was particularly important in sustaining efforts that can often be discouraging.
She called for a stronger collective movement to change how Filipinos treat animals, emphasizing that lasting progress requires shared commitment and action.
For Meralco, CATropa offers a practical example of how corporate responsibility can extend beyond employees and customers to include the animals living alongside the communities businesses serve.
