Councilor Mary Joselle Dilig-Villafuerte (davaotoday.com file photo)
DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Council will implement a 90-day siren warning against dengue to remind the public of the 4 o’clock habit of cleaning their surroundings where mosquitoes possibly breed.
Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Health, said the objective of the 90-day siren is to “develop the people’s habit of cleaning their surroundings and getting rid of uncovered water basins where the dengue-carrier mosquitoes thrive.”
“We would like to make sure that the people will create a habit of cleaning every 4 o’clock to eradicate the breeding ground of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes,” Villafuerte said.
Engr. Antonietta Ebol, Dengue prevention control program manager of the Department of Health previously reported that dengue cases rose to a total of 4,564 and 40 deaths in the region as of July. This is an increase of 147 percent from last year’s 1,850 cases.
Based on the records of the Department of Health, Buhangin District accounted for most number of cases. The barangay has now created a Task Force against dengue that will spearhead the maintenance of cleanliness in the whole barangay.
Meanwhile, Villafuerte said the city council will prioritize the 4 o’clock cleaning habit and added that there is no need to create an anti-dengue ordinance as of this time.
Villafuerte was referring to a 2004 proposed ordinance by former committee on SP Health committee chair, Councilor Bernard Al-ag, that was based on penalty.
“That ordinance is based on punishment, and I as a doctor I don’t want to punish people who are suffering from dengue. Right now, we would like to revisit the proposed ordinance and probably make it more like an incentive-based (legislation),” Villafuerte said.
She also said that they plan to put up “90-day siren” tarpaulins in all barangays. (davaotoday.com)
