About Us

BAARC doesn’t (yet) have a cat shelter — but it has Malina! She’s fostered over 50 kittens and hopes to set up a cat shelter and TNR program in Boracay someday. Her inbox is constantly buzzing with rescue reports from all over the island — proof that animal emergencies don’t take days off.

Fun fact: Word’s out that Malina rescues animals — so much so that even random dogs run up like she’s an old friend and say, “Hey, thanks for helping my cousin!”

Rica is our connector — she helps make things happen. She supports fundraising events and uses her large network to rally and build momentum for BAARC. Beyond BAARC, she’s also active in the broader animal welfare community, lending a hand to groups like the Boracay Vet Mission.

Fun fact: If you ever need to sell hundreds of raffle tickets, Rica’s your gal!

Jenny is the reliable, organized heart of our shelter. She keeps track of every dog’s medicines, vaccines, and deworming schedules with precision — and a lot of love. You can count on her to know exactly who needs what and when.

Fun fact: Jenny’s so on top of things, we’re pretty sure the dogs check her calendar before making plans.

Jean is our weekday rock — the first to arrive at the shelter each morning. She makes sure every dog is fed, watered, and comfortable before most people have had their coffee. Her quiet dedication keeps things running smoothly week after week.

Fun fact: Jean can spot an empty water bowl from 20 feet away — and it won’t stay empty for long!

Tania is an animal lover through and through — she shares her home with nearly ten cats and a dog! At the shelter, she brings her humor and heart, always ready to lend a hand (and a laugh).

Fun fact: Her updates from the shelter are legendary — she has a knack for turning every visit into a funny story.

Nico has a special heart for the underdogs — the shy, scared, or barky ones that others might overlook. He spends extra time with them, patiently building trust and helping them feel safe and loved.

Fun fact: While others walk the easy dogs, Nico picks the stubborn ones — and once carried one all the way to the beach just so it wouldn’t miss out. 💪🐶💛

Anj knows every dog at BAARC inside and out — who’s the diva, who’s jealous, who’s plotting an escape at the gate, and who’s scheming for an extra treat. Every weekend, she is at the shelter doing breakfast, beach walks and bathes.

Fun fact: She can bathe even the dogs who are most afraid of water – aka the ones who need it most 😉 💦🐾

Jewel is a dedicated shelter volunteer and lifelong dog lover — and, more recently, a converted cat lover after fostering Ronnie. At the shelter, she makes sure every dog gets their food, medicine, and daily belly rubs. And as a kitten fosterer, she gives all the love one person can give to an animal.— and then some!

Fun fact: You’ll often catch Jewel blowing kisses or making silly faces at the animals — and they absolutely adore it. 😘 🐾

Jackie brings special love and care to every shelter visit. She’s there on weekends, joining walks and giving the dogs the full spa treatment — brushing their hair, giving massages, and TLC that makes each one feel special.

Fun fact: When Jackie’s around, it’s “pamper time” at the shelter and the dogs are all smiling.

Hannah brings creativity, insight, and heart to everything she touches at BAARC. She’s helped shape our branding and fundraising — from the tagline “Every animal deserves a home in paradise” to our “Rum & Rescue” fundraiser, both of which were her brilliant ideas. She’s a cat and dog lover, a puppy foster mom, and one of our most trusted voices for honest feedback.

Fun fact: Many of BAARC’s most beautiful touches — from words to designs — have Hanna’s quiet magic behind them.

Lourdes is one of our behind-the-scenes heroes. She helps coordinate food scrap collections from local establishments, organizes deliveries, liaises with carpenters and porters, and keeps shelter logistics running smoothly.

Fun fact: If something practical needs arranging, Lourdes has probably already done it.

Careen is the cool creative artist behind BAARC and our queen of Canva. She helps us remotely, bringing her artistic flair to everything from event posters and social media posts to our epic hand-drawn T-shirts. A proud cat and dog mom herself, she keeps our community up to date with heartfelt stories and posts.

Fun fact: If one of our stories ever made you smile, chances are Careen was behind it.

Darla is the rescuer on wheels — quite literally. Whether it’s a sick cat on the street or a hurt puppy at the beach, she’s on her scooter in minutes, making sure every animal gets to the vet in time. She volunteers with multiple groups, including AARRC and Home of Paws and just wants to reduce animal suffering.

Fun fact: She adopted the first dog from BAARC!

Scott and Emily were two of our best shelter volunteers before moving off the island. From caring for our dogs to transforming the shelter with their OCD-level organization, they always went above and beyond. Now they continue to help from afar by sending monthly sponsor updates for our long-term residents.

Fun fact: Their breakfast was once stolen by Beyoncé — and they still came back to volunteer. That’s dedication.

We’re also deeply grateful to all the past volunteers who’ve helped along the way—each one has left their pawprint on BAARC. 🐾