WITH the continuous increase of mosquito-borne disease cases in Davao City, the 19th City Council passed an ordinance penalizing individuals who are storing old tires or any containers that could become breeding places for mosquitoes.

Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, committee chairperson on health, lobbied for the passage of the ordinance dubbed "Davao City Mosquito-borne Diseases Prevention and Control Ordinance" in a bid to reduce the number of cases caused by the viruses or parasites transmitted by mosquitoes such as dengue, chikungunya, filaria, Japanese encephalitis, malaria, and zika virus disease.

The ordinance, which was passed on third and final reading on Tuesday, November 10, aims to institutionalize a task force that will address the health problem especially within the communities

Villafuerte said the ordinance also stated the prohibitions of those seen as the main root of the proliferation of the mosquito-borne diseases.

Under the ordinance, storing old tires and batteries, steel or plastic drums, empty bottles, jars, and water tanks no longer in use and the failure to provide a proper covering for the same especially if these contain water, making them breeding places for mosquitoes are prohibited.

Storing of rain or tap water in containers not properly covered when used in households, and other purposes are also prohibited.

Also, vacant lot owners who will fail to clean their property, which also becomes a breeding site for these insects will be penalized.

Upon inspection of the Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Unit, and Environmental Sanitation Inspectors of the City Health Office (CHO), and the Barangay Mosquito-Borne Disease Task Force, violators of this ordinance will face different penalties and sanction.

For the first offense, a fine of P1,000 and two hours of community service will be imposed, then P3,000 and four hours community service for the second offense, and P5,000 and confiscation of items and objects concerned for the third offense.

Business establishments caught violating the ordinance will also be penalized.

For the first offense, establishments will be placed under strict monitoring or suspension by the Business Bureau, while the Bureau will cancel the establishment's business permit once caught violating for the second time.

The ordinance will also provide a "No Contest" provision, which means a person caught violating the ordinance and does not wish to contest his/her violation and is willing to pay or do community service will be allowed.

Villafuerte said the ordinance will deputize barangay officials to let them issue citation tickets to erring individuals who will fail or refuse to abide by the ordinance.

The councilor said in a radio interview that the ordinance was requested by the City Health Office (CHO) during the Executive and Legislative Agenda meeting in 2019.

In a data she presented, dengue cases in the city were highly alarming in 2010. According to the City Health Office, 10,978 people had been admitted due to dengue fever and 88 fatalities were recorded.

"These mosquito-borne diseases are community-based problems so it needs the concerted efforts of every person in order to prevent or stop the further transmission of those diseases," Villafuerte said in her submitted resolution for the creation of the ordinance.

CHO said there is a need to institutionalize a program that will prevent these mosquito-borne diseases, particularly dengue.

The councilor said the timing of its passage came when the city is experiencing heavy rains brought about by the rainy season.

Under the ordinance, a task force called the Davao City Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) on Mosquito-borne Diseases Prevention and Control will be created, led by the City Mayor, along with other member agencies, which include CHO, City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), the barangays, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

"Because of this ordinance, awhagon nato ang mga barangay nga maghimo sila og (we will encourage all barangays to create their own) Barangay Mosquito-borne Diseases [Prevention and Control] Task Force," Villafuerte said.

The councilor said there is a need to create a task force as their function is highly important in curbing the transmission of mosquito-brought diseases.

According to the ordinance, the IATF will educate and spread awareness on the different mosquito viral diseases, conduct a citywide cleanup, monitor the communities, come up with advocacy communication plan and conduct assessment on its implementation.

The task force will also conduct the "4 o'clock habit" at every household, school, and offices.

The "4-o'clock habit" is a strategy that seeks to raise awareness and encourage the community to do its share and take time to weed out dengue breeding sites at 4 p.m. every day. It has been known that mosquitoes carrying diseases are most active at dusk around this time and religiously exercising this intervention is key to reducing the risk of contracting these diseases.

Also, the IATF will transport suspected dengue patients to the nearest district health office for rapid diagnostic tests, and those with probable results must be transported to the nearest hospital for treatment and case management.

The ordinance will also mandate all barangays to implement a regular voluntary blood donation program, as signified by the City Ordinance 0382-18 or "An Ordinance Institutionalizing a Barangay Voluntary Blood Donation Program Ordinance."

Villafuerte said the creation of blood stations in all district health centers will be encouraged to have access to processed blood products in times of dengue outbreak or any tropical diseases.