Iloilo City declares dengue state of calamity

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The city government of Iloilo is intensifying its response to a dengue outbreak following the declaration of a city-wide state of calamity.

On Wednesday, the Iloilo City Council unanimously approved the resolution for the declaration, allowing the city government to access ₱7.04 million in funds for advocacy and response initiatives.

The allocated budget includes ₱4.75 million for the purchase of Deltamethrin (Deltahor), ₱900,000 for Moztak granules, ₱390,000 for a motorized sprayer, and ₱1 million for dengue duo test kits and other medical supplies for the hydration unit.

“We plan to conduct massive misting for vector control, covering 24 villages each day,” City Health Office (CHO) head Dr. Annabelle Tang said in an interview.

The declaration follows the August 27 dengue outbreak pronouncement and the recommendation made by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) in a meeting with the city mayor.

“The current weather conditions and the vulnerabilities of the communities in the barangays necessitate the urgent need to declare an outbreak so that immediate assistance can be provided by the city government,” the CDRRMC resolution stated.

Tang also appealed to the public to take proactive steps in eliminating mosquito breeding sites by cleaning inside and outside their homes.

The CHO earlier reported that all four dengue serotypes are currently present in the city, leading to varying symptoms among patients.

Councilor Urminico Baronda Jr. proposed implementing stricter penalties or fines as part of the city’s response to the dengue outbreak, particularly targeting those who fail to comply with sanitation efforts.

“We have misting in schools and public places, but while some do their part in cleaning their surroundings, others don’t. How do we encourage them to join the campaign or discourage them from cultivating breeding places?” Baronda told Daily Guardian.

Baronda argued that the current lack of penalties has led to complacency, where some individuals do not feel compelled to participate in public health initiatives to control the dengue virus.

He said he has requested the Committee on Health, Sanitation, and Hospital Services to study his proposal.

Baronda was the previous chairperson of the health committee but was stripped of his position in April. He was replaced by his then-vice chairperson, Councilor Alan Zaldivar.

As of August 27, the CHO reported a total of 945 dengue cases in Iloilo City, including 42 active cases, four deaths, and 899 recoveries.

The CHO also noted that 62 of the city’s 180 barangays have reported a clustering of dengue cases.