Manila — Filipino entrepreneur Christophe Bariou is cultivating compassion for cows in a powerful new PETA ad that urges viewers to see all animals as the thinking, feeling individuals they are and help end speciesism—the human-held belief that all other animal species are inferior—by going vegan.
Bariou went vegan in 2022 after learning how cows and other animals suffer in the meat and dairy industries. Through his brands and businesses, he passionately advocates for animal rights and sustainable living.
“Going vegan is the most impactful way to boost health and protect the planet. Yet what defines my commitment and makes it feel so effortless and natural is the ethical core of veganism: the love and compassion I feel for all animals and the principle we all understand deep down: that no sentient being should be killed when we have a choice,” says Bariou. “No animal wants to be killed for a taste of their flesh or milk that lasts only a few minutes, and that’s why I’m proud to partner with PETA to urge everyone to leave all animals in peace and go vegan.”
Cows have friends and mourn when a loved one dies or when they’re separated from each other, yet in the meat and dairy industries, calves are torn away from their mothers within hours of birth and are crudely castrated, dehorned, and branded without any pain relief. At slaughterhouses, workers shoot cows in the head with a captive-bolt gun, hang them up by one leg, and slit their throat—often while they’re still conscious and able to feel pain.
Investigations, including several by PETA, have repeatedly exposed extreme cruelty on dairy farms worldwide, including in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States—countries that supply much of the Philippines’ 99% imported milk. In Australia, a PETA investigation documented that calves are bludgeoned to death, that sick animals are denied veterinary care, and that a cow was dragged through mud after failed attempts to kill her. In New Zealand, mother cows have been filmed running after their calves as they’re torn away and loaded onto trucks. And in the U.S., PETA has exposed that cows who are left to suffer from severe untreated illnesses and injuries are being forced to endure milking even with bloodied udders.
“No matter the source or the so-called ‘organic’ or ‘ethical’ labels, the milk sold to Filipino consumers comes from an industry in which cows and their babies suffer and die. It is still happening today only because, in my experience, people are light years away from realizing the horrors of the industry, just as I was before,” says Bariou.
Each person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals every year, dramatically shrinks their food-related carbon footprint, and slashes their risk of suffering from ischemic heart disease—the leading cause of death in the Philippines—as well as cancer, strokes, and diabetes. Since the majority of the population in the Philippines is lactose intolerant, going vegan can also help avoid common digestive issues. PETA’s free guide to going vegan is filled with tips to help anyone looking to make the switch.
The ad was shot by photographer Wesley Villarica, a longtime PETA supporter, at Parallax Studios. Bariou joins a growing list of celebrities—including Nadine Lustre and Jodi Sta. Maria—who have teamed up with PETA entities to promote kinder choices.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat or abuse in any other way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone. For more information, please visit PETAAsia.com or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
