THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) Region 6 is wisely integrating dengue prevention into this year’s school clean-up efforts called “Brigada Eskwela”.
But the rising dengue figures in Iloilo — 1,742 cases and nine deaths from January to May 17 alone — raise a more pressing question: Are our schools truly prepared to protect children from this deadly disease?
The numbers speak for themselves. According to the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO), children aged one to 19 years old account for more than 1,000 of the total dengue cases in the province. These are school-aged children, many of whom spend most of their time in educational institutions that, in theory, should be safe spaces — not breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
While it is good that schools are coordinating with Barangay Health Workers and local health offices, the current system still hinges too heavily on reactive measures. Interventions like fogging and misting are often deployed after dengue cases are reported. By then, the virus may have already spread. Schools need better health surveillance mechanisms to detect risks before outbreaks occur.
Also, the reliance on weeklong, volunteer-driven activities like Brigada Eskwela to carry out basic health interventions such as the elimination of stagnant water is not a sustainable approach. A one-week clean-up cannot compensate for the absence of year-round sanitation and monitoring. If schools are vulnerable during the rainy season, then health and hygiene must be institutionalized as core functions — not just seasonal add-ons.
There is also the matter of school-based healthcare capacity. Not all schools have access to trained nurses or medical staff. Some rely solely on coordination with city or municipal health offices, which may already be stretched thin. This lack of in-house medical capacity delays crucial assessments and interventions. It is time for the government to consider stronger investments in school health personnel and resources, including the placement of permanent nurses in high-risk schools and more regular health inspections.
The surge in dengue cases should not be trivialized. Iloilo’s experience reveals a gap not in awareness — but in sustained action, funding, and structural preparedness. If we are to protect our children from preventable diseases like dengue, we must move beyond symbolic clean-up drives and into the realm of comprehensive school health systems.
Our children deserve classrooms, not clinics. The solution lies in prevention, not reaction — and in sustained political will, not seasonal participation.
