Talisay government launches anti-dengue info drive

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City government has launched an intensive information dissemination campaign against the dengue disease through lectures and clean-up drives in schools and barangays.

"We don't have reported cases of dengue here yet, but we can't wait for that to happen especially that the rainy season is here, so we have started these anti-dengue programs," said Councilor Choy Aznar, chairman on council committee on Health.

The other day, Aznar's staff distributed at least 70 tarpaulins to the city's public schools.

Next month, the councilor said they will visit all 22 barangays of the city for the clean-up drives.

"The city has temporarily stopped the misting operations. What we are doing now, we're putting chemicals into the canals and all possible breeding grounds of mosquitoes. But like we've been saying, cleaning up is always the best solution," he said.

Last year, the city recorded six deaths of which dengue was the culprit. From the first to the third quarter of that year, 210 dengue cases were registered.

It was also at this time when the city's misting operation was criticized reportedly because it was not effective, apart from being hazardous to human health.

The misting, which was started by then councilor now Provincial Board member Serrie Restauro, uses spray lambda cyhylothrin chemical.

Mayor Socrates Fernandez had however turned a deaf ear to the issues and continued giving allocation for the project. 

At least P48,000 was earmarked for every quarter for the project.

Restauro however maintained that the chemicals used in the misting is environmentally-friendly and effective in stopping the dengue-carrying mosquitoes from spreading.

Last year also, the city council approved P1 million for the anti-dengue operations as well as financial aid to the affected residents.