Dr Abila is currently the Sub-Regional Representative for South-East Asia of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), based in Bangkok , Thailand. He is a Filipino Veterinarian who graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of the Philippines, Diliman (1985) and a Master of Science in Epidemiology and Preventive Veterinary Medicine from Free University of Berlin, Germany (1994). Dr Abila has a wide experience in managing disease control programs. Among his major contributions is the development of the Roadmap to control of FMD in South-East Asia, China and Mongolia (SEACFMD), supervised the development of the ASEAN ASF Prevention and Control Strategy, and the e development of the ASEAN Rabies Elimination Strategy (ARES). Before joining the WOAH, he handled various posts in the Philippines’ Bureau of Animal Industry as head of the Epidemiology Section, National Veterinary Quarantine Services and Animal Health Division. He spearheaded the development of the Philippine Animal Health Information System ( Phil-AHIS) and the setting up of various disease control committees and task forces and development of national disease control and prevention programs. He was involved in the eradication of FMD in the Philippines, development of National Rabies Prevention and Control Program, and the drafting of HPAI prevention programme.