Hot Dogs!

Here are two stories about hot dogs in the Philippines. 

A woman decided her 10-year-old son needed to have his hot dog trimmed. So, she took him to a doctor at a local clinic. This doctor administered anesthesia and the boy immediately began shaking, shouting, and spacing out.  He was rushed to a hospital but they were unable to revive him. 

It turn out the doctor is only a licensed midwife and not a doctor at all. This same fake doctor was arrested in 2023 for practicing medicine without a license but was released on bail. Sometime after that he was able to find work at a clinic once again practicing medicine without a license.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/946825/doctor-who-circumcised-10-year-old-boy-in-tondo-clinic-fake/story/

The person who circumcised a 10-year-old boy at a lying-in clinic in Tondo, Manila and later died was not a registered doctor, a barangay official said.

The suspect was also arrested in 2023 by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group after using the name and license number of a legitimate doctor whom she had worked with over 20 years ago, GMA Integrated News’ Jhomer Apresto reported on Unang Balita Wednesday.

However, the suspect was released on bail.

Barangay 146 Councilor Maria Christina Tipon said the suspect does not have any permit to operate.

(There was no request so what we know is she is not operating. What we know is that she is a licensed midwife but not a doctor.)

(They should be vigilant whether these doctors are registered or not. There are many hospitals that they can go to.)

Marjorie San Agustin told GMA Integrated News’ that she brought her son Nathan to the clinic at around 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 17. Before the circumcision, her son was administered anesthesia—reportedly in the amount of 20cc, as per the clinic staff.

(He said he couldn’t feel anything anymore. I saw my son shivering.)

(I asked the doctor if that was normal because I was getting scared. The doctor said it was normal because he was groggy. Then he started shaking and shouting.)

(Yes, his eyes were open, but he was already spaced out.)

Nathan was rushed to a nearby hospital, but attempts to revive him proved unsuccessful.

The grieving family reported the incident to the Manila Police District and later sought the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation to seek a thorough investigation.

(We are investigating, but the autopsy is our top priority. Depending on the result, we’ll determine if someone should be held accountable.)

(We need to determine the cause of death. We’ll issue a subpoena to the person to explain the procedure performed.)

According to the family, the result of the autopsy is expected in seven days.

The NBI also visited the clinic where the procedure took place.

GMA Integrated News also went to the location. After ringing the doorbell for several minutes, someone finally answered but said the person who performed the procedure was not there

There are a lot of questions to be answered such as why this person had not been to trial in the space of two years and how he was able to work in a clinic. It is not clear if he opened an unlicensed clinic or found work at one. 

Barangay Councilor Maria Christina Tipon basically said this woman should have been more vigilant in making sure this person was a real doctor or just gone to a hospital. The whole thing could have been prevented if the mother had not decided her son's hot dog needed to be mutilated. Circumcision provides no health benefits whatsoever. The religious benefits are moot since Jesus Christ has come and baptism rather than circumcision is now the sign of the covenant. 

However, if she really wanted to cut her son's hot dog there are plenty of places that will do it correctly. There are also free Operation Tuli clinics which occur throughout the country. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/05/22/around-300-boys-get-free-circumcision-in-las-pinas

Around 300 young boys availed of free circumcision during the “Oplan Tuli” program conducted by the Las Piñas city government at the Aguilar Sports Complex, Pilar on May 20.

Las Piñas Mayor-elect April Aguilar was present at the event. She said the program is part of the city government’s ongoing efforts to provide accessible health services to the community, especially during the summer break.

She also assured that the program is carried out exclusively by licensed doctors and medically trained professionals to ensure safety and proper post-operative care.

The City Health Office (CHO), led by Dr. Juliana Gonzales, spearheaded the activity. She emphasized that only qualified health personnel performed the procedures, highlighting the city’s commitment to proper hygiene, medical standards, and patient care throughout the program.

The mayor-elect expressed her support for the children and their parents and commended the health workers and volunteers for ensuring the smooth and well-organized conduct of the medical mission.

She announced that the next free circumcision sessions will be held on May 24 at the Aguilar Sports Complex in Pilar, and on May 26 at the DRRMO Building in Talon Dos.

Those interested in the program are encouraged to visit their nearest barangay health center for screening and pre-registration.

While this program took place in Las Piñas the mother should have looked for such a program in her area. Ideally she should have left her son's hot dog alone. Now he is dead. 

Two poodles died while attending a training facility. The owner of the facility says they died of heatstroke. He also buried them 5 days before informing their owners. The owners of the poodles were naturally outraged. They claim they saw photos of the dogs with blood around their heads. Additionally, one of the poodles heads was missing. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/05/21/dog-owners-seek-justice-after-pets-die-in-marikina-training-facility

The owners of two poodles that died in a dog training facility in Marikina are demanding justice, questioning the trainer’s claim of heatstroke and pointing to injuries that suggest possible animal abuse. 

In a Facebook post, pet owners Karla and Sandy Rios stated that their dogs, Guanciale and Donki, passed away on May 12 while under the care of the facility. However, they were only the deaths on May 17. 

Sandy, Donki's owner, said that the trainer personally went to their house to inform them of the incident. 

“When he got to my house, he explained to me and my husband that Donki has been dead since last Monday, May 12, along with one of my SIL’s dogs whose name was Guanciale,” she said. 

They said they were shocked about the trainer’s claim that the dogs died of heatstroke.  

The pet owners were also dismayed after finding out that the bodies of the dogs were just put in a sack and buried without their consent. 

“He claimed that both died from heatstroke. And that they buried them right away without even telling us—without our consent. My husband and I were both in shock upon hearing all of this,” she stated. 

Sandy said that she messaged the trainer a few days before learning about the incident to ask if they could get their dogs back.  

However, the trainers only replied, “Mam mga 2 weeks pa po (Ma'am, maybe in about two weeks),” to which she assumed that the dogs were still being trained. 

However, she became suspicious when they saw the photos showing the dogs with blood on their heads.  

She also said that one of the dogs was missing its head. 

She also mentioned that the trainer “even had the audacity to offer ‘compensation’ by giving us a new dog.” 

Due to what happened to their pets, the owners hope the training facility will be shut down. 

“As I write this, I cannot help but think that only a monster can do something like this. This is animal abuse. This is cruelty. This is a crime,” she said. 

“They don’t care about our dogs, they only care about making money. They need to close down. Please help us spread this news,” she added. 

Aside from the two pets that died, their five other dogs that were also in the same training facility were just returned to them on May 18. 

In a Facebook post, Karla, the owner of Guanciale, said the five dogs came back very thin and looked neglected, even though the training center often asked for grooming payments. 

She also shared photos of the dogs before they were brought to the facility and after they were returned, showing how their condition had gotten worse. She added that one of the dogs now has an eye infection. 

Meanwhile, the training facility has yet to release any statement.

It seems like a clear cut case of animal abuse and the facility should be immediately closed and the owner charged accordingly. The Philippine Animal Welfare Society agrees. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/05/22/paws-calls-for-closure-of-marikina-based-training-center-after-deaths-of-2-dogs

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has urged the local government of Marikina to shut down a dog training center following the deaths of two poodles under its care.

The animal rights group said the facility lacks an animal welfare permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry–Animal Health and Welfare Division, which is required under the Animal Welfare Act of the Philippines.

In a TV interview, PAWS Executive Director Anna Cabrera said they are already coordinating with the owner to file criminal charges against the training center.

“In view of all these and to safeguard the lives of other dogs which may still in the facility, we are requesting the immediate closure of the said facility and for your good office to direct the owner of the said facility to give the LGU a list of the owners of the dogs still under their care so that they can be contacted,” PAWS said in its letter to the local government.

It added that they can send a personnel to accompany police officers during the facility’s closure and serve as observers should any animals require medical assistance.

Perhaps the owner will be charged and his training facility closed. Perhaps he will be let out on bail and go back to his old ways such as the fake doctor. Either way these hot dogs are now dead.