Fighting Dengue

Pasay City in Metro Manila Health Office has not registered a single dengue case, news reports tell us. How did they do this? By a procedure called larvtrapping done by the city's sanitary inspectors at least three months before the rainy season.

A can about four inches tall and three inches in diameter, painted black, with three holes punch on both sides are submerged in water placed indoors and outdoors by the inspectors. After five days the cans are tested for larvae. The barangay with cans found to contain more than 20 percent density of larvae have to undergo fumigation.

Larvtrapping helps cut down the mosquito population, but the maintenance of cleanliness and the elimination of standing water in the environment are more important in the fight against dengue.

* * *

Peter Branch, a British subject now residing in Makati writes: "How come in this country a Congressman has a bank account in the millions under a fictitious name? In my country Members of Parliament have to be men of honor, vision and integrity. Any MP whose reputation is clouded by any scandal resigns. In this country, the most important goal of those in government service is how to line their pockets."

No wonder we have not progressed. We are the laggard nation in Asia.

* * *

"Even as pressure builds to shame PGMA into voluntary resignation," says Rina J. David, "she has shown every sign of staying on, from turning away the nation's attention from the "tale of the tapes" to Charter Change, from proclaiming her willingness to have her day in court through an impeachment even as her allies in Congress take every step to derail the impeachment motion."

Joe de Venecia and FVR and GMA beneficiaries will move heaven and earth to prevent a resignation.

* * *

The New York Times Service tells us that the top ten Asian sex destinations are Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Sri Lanka. While prostitution may not be illegal in some of these countries, the rise of HIV/AIDs and child sex workers has human rights activists raising alarm. Sex tourism is on the rise as well, with more businessmen from wealthy Asian nations such as Taiwan and South Korea headed for the Philippines and Thailand each year.

* * *

The 2005 Ramon Magsaysay Awards are given to Asians with a passion for the common good, and greatness of spirit shown in service to people. Too bad none from the Philippines has merited the award this year. The winners are from Indonesia, Thailand, India, South Korea, Bangladesh and Laos.

Teten Mesduki of Indonesia is Awardee for "Public Service" for challenging Indonesians to expose corruption and claim their right to clean government. Dr. V. Shanta of India is also an Awardee for Public Service. She is 78 years old, still sees patients, performs surgery and is on 24 hours call each day. She is Executive Officer of India's Cancer Institute, which has grown from a dozen beds into a 248-bed hospital and research center. Services are free or subsidized for 60 percent of the 100,000 annual patients. She says, learn to accept that you are good, and that from you a lot of good can happen.