Iloilo prepares for dengue with city-wide cleanup

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

For the sixth straight year, a simultaneous city-wide clean-up drive will be conducted across the 180 villages in Iloilo City in preparation for the surge of dengue cases amid the onset of the rainy season.

Mayor Jerry Treñas and City Council Committee on Health Chairman Councilor Alan Zaldivar initiated the measure to fight dengue, dubbed as “Ugsaran Tinluan para Balatian Malikawan.”

The awareness advocacy will be launched at Barangay Baldoza in La Paz district on Saturday, June 29, at 6:30 a.m.

“We are inviting all the barangays and their residents to participate in this cause. Let us all contribute to ensuring the safety and well-being of the children and residents of Iloilo City by implementing preventive measures to stop dengue,” Zaldivar said in a statement.

The city mayor recently issued an executive order (EO) urging village officials to clean the surroundings of their respective barangays every Saturday.

Under the EO, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office is tasked with ensuring compliance by the village officials.

“The objective of the EO is to prevent the spread of dengue in Iloilo City. While the cases of dengue are not alarming, we should make sure they do not rise,” Treñas said.

The Department of Health reported that the city recorded 20 new cases of dengue from June 16 to 20, bringing the total to 246.

Dengue cases continue to surge in Western Visayas, with 4,030 cases and 10 fatalities as of June 22.