ILOILO – A total of 1,721 barangays in this province have adopted the “4 o’clock habit” as a preventive measure against the spread of dengue-carrying mosquitoes, contributing to ongoing efforts to tackle the rising dengue cases in the region.
Amalia Victoria Debuque, president of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) – Iloilo Chapter and ex-officio Provincial Board member, emphasized the role of barangay officials in supporting the Iloilo provincial government through the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) in the campaign against dengue.
“We have made it a priority. In our barangay and municipality in Anilao, we are actively practicing the 4 o’clock habit,” said Debuque.
Debuque explained that the barangays could only feasibly commit to the 4 o’clock habit, as conducting fogging operations across each barangay would be unsustainable financially due to the need for purchasing chemicals.
She noted that if barangays were to undertake fogging activities, these would need to be continuous.
“Fogging does not kill mosquitoes but only repels them, so it needs to be a continuous activity. If it were continuous, it would require significant funding from the barangay,” Debuque added.
According to Debuque, not all barangays can afford fogging, which is why the 4 o’clock habit, being more economical, is heavily promoted.
“It is much cheaper, more feasible, and the community can be actively involved. We are really promoting all barangays to practice the 4 o’clock habit, where at 4 p.m. everyone checks and eliminates sources or breeding places of mosquitoes,” she said.
Debuque expressed hope that through community cooperation, there will be a gradual decrease in the dengue cases across the province.
Based on IPHO data, from January 1 to August 31 the province recorded 7,814 dengue cases with 20 deaths – this is 562 percent higher compared to the dengue figures reported in the same period last year (1,182 cases with two deaths).
Areas with the highest cases are Passi City (555 cases with two deaths), Oton (429), Calinog (321 cases with one death), Dumangas (316), Leon (308), Dingle (289), Barotac Nuevo (287 cases with four deaths), Janiuay (274), and Cabatuan (249).
Other areas that reported dengue cases are Miag-ao (229 cases with two deaths), Santa Barbara (227 cases with one death), Pavia (223), Tigbauan (222), San Dionisio (211 cases with one death), Pototan (210), Barotac Viejo (193), Badiangan (191), Sara (186), Lemery (185), Dueñas (176), Alimodian (174), Igbaras (170), Banate (155 cases with one death), Batad (135), San Enrique (133), San Miguel (131), Ajuy (125), Maasin (115), Mina (109), San Joaquin (103), Leganes (99), Balasan (98), Bingawan (96), Estancia (96 cases with one death), Concepcion (92 cases with one death), Zarraga (92), Guimbal (88), Anilao (85), Carles (58), Tubungan (57), New Lucena (44), and San Rafael (30).
The age group most affected are the following:
* 41 years old and above – 541 cases
* 31 to 40 years old – 418 cases
* 21 to 30 years old – 1,183 cases
* 11 to 20 years old – 2,709 cases
* 1 to 10 years old – 2,763 cases
* less than one year old – 200 cases/PN
