Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is supporting the move of barangay Labangon to penalize its residents who refuse to clean their surroundings to help fight the dengue disease.
“That’s good!” Osmeña said, adding he would even encourage other barangays in the city to follow suit.
Osmeña said the move might just compel residents to observe cleanliness, especially now that the city is besieged by dengue outbreak.
Aggressive policies, such as hefty fines, are what disciplined the citizens of Singapore, said Osmeña, explaining that residents in the city-state pay a $500 fine if they are found to have left their surroundings and houses unclean.
“That’s how it works in Singapore, only it’s $500…in Cebu, wala siguro mo-pass sa inspection,” he said.
Latest data showed that dengue has inflicted 262 people and claimed 10 lives this year. The fatalities were from barangays Ermita and Sambag II.
Labangon barangay captain Felix Abella had said they have divided the barangay into seven “districts,” with a barangay official constantly monitoring each district in the implementation of the cleanliness drive.
Those who cannot afford the P500 fine, however, will be made to do community work. The City Council is set to look into the legality of the ordinance.
The barangay has also taken the initiative to put up dengue signs in at least 10 sitios where dengue is most concentrated.
Osmeña said the city will be coming up with a “repulsive” approach to the problem through commercials that would put a “face” to the onslaught of dengue.
The mayor said they would seek permission from the families of those who died from dengue so that the public will realize that the disease is no joke.
“We will make commercials…something that people will find repulsive…I have to put a face to this problem,” Osmeña said.
Admitting that cleanliness drive alone is not enough to combat the virus, Osmeña recently decided to revive fogging in areas like barangay Labangon where dengue is most prevalent.
The other barangays with the highest number of dengue cases include Guadalupe, Lahug, Apas and Talamban.
Osmeña also said the city will not hesitate to release more funds to sustain the campaign against dengue. – Joeberth M. Ocao/LPM