Town not under state of calamity despite surge in dengue cases

CEBU, Philippines - The Daanbantayan Municipal Council will not declare a state of calamity in the town just yet despite the number of confirmed dengue cases skyrocketing to almost 50 percent in just five days.

Mayor Augusto Corro could not help but express his dismay yesterday.

“Wa gyud ko kasabot sa ilang gibuhat. Binuang nang ilaha,” he said in a phone interview with The FREEMAN.

The council did not declare a state of calamity despite recommendation from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Quoting the town’s health officer who attended the session, Corro said the council turned the recommendation down because doing so might create panic among residents.

“I want to remind them that they are answerable to the people. They are just making things hard for the people,” Corro said.

From the 41 cases last Monday, the number went to 72 as of 3 p.m. yesterday, according to records of the Daanbantayan Rural Health Unit.

The figure includes the five new cases confirmed yesterday, said RHU nurse Charisse Diamos.

She said the five victims are recuperating at the Daanbantayan District Hospital.

On Tuesday, the disease claimed the life of a four-year-old girl in Barangay Poblacion.

Corro said he believes that politics had something to do with the council’s decision.

Placing the town under a state of calamity would allow its official to use its P6 million calamity funds to purchase misting machines.

Corro said yesterday he would look for alternatives to address the problem, one of which is to ask help from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

The town purchased medicines for the patients contracted with dengue fever, he added.

A six-man team from the Provincial Health Office was sent to the town yesterday to inspect and mist areas with possible breeding ground of mosquitoes.

Ethel Natera, Provincial Information Office, said the team also assisted the patients with their needs. — Michael Vencynth H. Braga/JMO (FREEMAN)