What makes life worth living? For Tatay Crisolo, it’s feeding the strays that once found refuge in a now-demolished building.
Nestled between M. Velez and G. Garcia Streets in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu City, the structure once offered warmth to dozens of cats around the area. Now, all that’s left is a barren plot of land and rubble. But amid the ruins, the cats remain—wandering, resilient, and buoyant in the face of chaos.
Claws Among the Wreckage: The Demolition
In February 2016, the court issued a demolition order to wipe a total of 150 houses in Sitio Sta. Cruz Barangay Capitol. This notion swept through not only the families but the animals that lived among them. The land, contested between the private owner and long-term residents, became a field of ownership, survival, and loss. According to Tatay Criscolo, a local resident, the area where the cats once found refuge was only recently cleared of remaining debris—leaving them homeless, wandering in the streets of G. Garcia, perhaps waiting for something to return.
The Purrstory: Nine Lives’ Worth of Charm
Now having left with nothing to seek shelter in, the cats lay cold in the lands that once brought them warmth. The rooftops they once hung around—gone, now they can only hover on concrete, on the pavement, surrounded with the sound of screeching tires in the busy streets, with no roof to protect them during the heaviest storms and the hottest days. No roof that allows them to lay leisurely as they fall asleep. And worst of all—no food source that will provide them strength.
But alas, who could resist the charm of these adorable felines? Tatay Crisolo, a local resident, is one of their willing victims. Never missing a single beat to shower them with not just food but also with kindness, adoration, and love.
He claims he makes extra servings when he cooks in the morning just so he can give them something to eat. “Maluoy man gud ko ani sa ila kay mura pud ug tao ba, manginahanglan ug pagkaon.” Tatay says. At night, after his long tiring day he makes haste to buy food for him and the colony he feeds without delay. And like a mutual understanding, the felines wait for him under the streetlights often mistaking the people passing by as Tatay.
This painstaking act of devotion Tatay has for these cats shows that humanity still exists within us, the world may have taken this colony’s walls of comfort down but despite that, it showered them kindness in the guise of Tatay. However, being on the streets for too long may come with hurdles and challenges, especially with the increasing population of strays in Cebu City.
Tail That Keeps Wagging: Between Love and Let Live
When there is like, there will always be dislike. Not the entire populace has a soft spot for these stray animals, some are met with gruesome fate as some people may see these cats as nuisances. Especially when they multiply. “Gadaghan gali ni sila mga gagmay nga iring, ako sa’ng ginapanghatag” Tatay says. With the still growing number of strays in the city streets, Cebu city has come up with an approach quite different from what was practiced in the past. Now, the Catch, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return (CNVR) program has been fully implemented since June of last year. This is scientifically proven and considered as the most compassionate method for addressing the animal overpopulation, it allows the animals to be sterilized and vaccinated before they are returned to where they were captured. This method not only decreases overpopulation but also ensures safety of the animals roaming the city streets. Additionally, a memorandum has been implemented recently to further strengthen this program.
A PawLea for Action
And yet, even with options presented by the city government, inaction still prevails. Thousands of stray pets continue to roam Cebu’s streets—unvaccinated, intact, and vulnerable. What must be truly done for real progress to plant its roots? It begins with initiative.
The CNVR program is a humane and sustainable solution to animal overpopulation. However, the success of this initiative lies not just in policy but also within the people—within each and every one of you. Even the most well-intentioned programs falter, when the townspeople remain passive. As inaction leads to detriment rather than development.
Impounding and mercy killing are outdated methods—the relics of the past that mistook silencing the problem for solving it. If those truly worked, the world wouldn’t still be facing a stray animal crisis.
In contrast, CNVR offers a path forward, one that not only respects life but also restores balance.
So, what can you do? It’s simple. Take the initiative to step forward towards a better tomorrow. Volunteer, adopt, educate, or even just show kindness to the animals you see on the street.
As this initiative continues to grow in the city of Cebu, may your hearts be kind to the animals that roam the streets. They may not be owned but in their quiet—buoyant way they remind us that even in the busiest cities there’s room for softness, survival, and stories that begin with a simple meow.
