BACOLOD City Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. urged all barangays, in cooperation with the City Health Office (CHO), to intensify its campaign against dengue.

Gamboa said the barangays have the ability to identify, monitor and clean up the areas vulnerable as breeding and nesting places of mosquitoes.

“Although as per CHO record the number of dengue cases in Bacolod dropped by 68 percent from 155 on January 1 to May 16 compared to 480 with one death in the same period last year, the city should take an extra ordinary precaution to intensify its campaign against dengue,” he said

Gamboa noted that Section 16 of Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 mandates the local government units to exercise their power which are essential to the promotion of general welfare of the people.

“There is a need to protect the health and safety of our people by cleaning our surroundings to prevent dengue cases within their respective barangay,” Gamboa said.

The CHO earlier urged the public to practice the 4S program of the Department of Health which stands for Search and destroy mosquito breeding places; use Self-protection measures; Seek early consultation for fever lasting more than two days; and Say no to indiscriminate fogging.

Last year, the City Government launched the anti-dengue campaign, called “Deng-get-out of Bacolod! Mag 4 O’clock Habit Na!”

The CHO official earlier said that the barangay officials should cooperate to this campaign to eradicate and destroy all the breeding and nesting places of mosquitoes to prevent dengue.