The Protecting Animal Welfare (PAW) Project has officially entered a new chapter as a student-led organization, now recognized as the Union for the Protection of Animal Welfare at the Open University (UPAWOU).
Previously operating under Ugnayan ng Pahinungod UPOU in partnership with the Campus Development and Maintenance Office (CDMO), UPAWOU now stands as the first animal welfare and socio-civic organization in UP Open University. This transition marks not just a structural change, but the empowerment of students to lead and sustain animal welfare initiatives within the university.
UPAWOU’s foundation was shaped through a series of trainings, workshops, and collaborative efforts involving students, the Pahinungod team, and the guidance of Cats of UPLB. These initiatives gave rise to its founding batch, Batch “PAWioneers,” composed of 42 passionate members, led and mentored by Pahinungod volunteers Aidan Kurt Orig and Christelle Jane Lacsamana.
The PAW Project was originally launched on 5 April 2024 with the goal of protecting animal welfare on campus while ensuring a safe, professional, and conducive learning and working environment for the UPOU community. Over nearly two years of implementation, the project recognized that sustainable stray animal management lies in responsible feeding practices, proper holding capacity, and the Trap–Neuter–Vaccinate–Return (TNVR) approach.
Guided by Republic Act No. 10631, the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, UPAWOU continues to uphold humane, lawful, and community-centered animal welfare practices.
This transition marks a new beginning and a new phase—driven by the same purpose: compassion, responsibility, and collective action for animal welfare. A milestone that signals growth, continuity, and renewed commitment to its cause.
Written by Jezreel Cometa
