ILOILO — This province recorded a dramatic 51-percent decline in dengue infections this year — an outcome health authorities credit to a province-wide behavioral shift among Ilonggos, who embraced aggressive household cleanup and community vigilance as routine habits of disease prevention.
From January 1 to December 6, the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) logged 5,710 dengue cases with 21 deaths, sharply lower than the 11,663 cases and 35 deaths during the same period in 2024.
IPHO head Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon said the downturn defied earlier worst-case projections of over 20,000 cases for 2025.
“Ang behavioral change daku gid nga bulig like sige-sige nga panglimpyu, search and destroy sang breeding places, kag pag-uligmat sa mga kaso sa ila nga barangay. Amo ina ang rason nga ang ginakahadlokan nga pagsaka sang kaso subong nga tuig nga gina-antisipar naton nga basi maglab-ot sa more than 20,000 wala gid ina natabo,” Quiñon said.
Mobilization at barangay level
According to Quiñon, Iloilo opened 2025 already at the epidemic threshold, prompting barangay officials, stakeholders, and residents to mount an unusually united and aggressive anti-dengue campaign.
She noted that this heightened vigilance prevented a feared surge even as rains persisted throughout the year.
Warning: Don’t let guard down despite drop
Quiñon stressed that the decline must not lead to complacency, especially as continuous rains toward yearend could trigger a rebound in cases.
“Subong nga December sige man gihapon ang inulan kag may possibility gid nga magsaka ang kaso kag basi magpadayun pa ini asta sa January. Gani ginapangayo ko gid sa aton nga tanan nga ipadayun ang maayo nga behavior or positive behavior nga na-develop or tun-an subong nga tuig,” she said.
She reiterated the call for residents to sustain regular cleaning and “search and destroy” practices inside and outside their homes.
The municipalities with highest dengue cases are:
* Oton – 409 cases, 1 death
* Janiuay – 313
* Dumangas – 283, 1 death
* San Joaquin – 266
* Calinog – 255
* Leon – 239
* Cabatuan – 214
* Pototan – 209, 2 deaths
* Lambunao – 184, 1 death
* Ajuy – 175
Other areas that reported dengue cases are Barotac Nuevo (169), Carles (160, 2 deaths), Tigbauan (160, 1 death), Sara (153, 1 death), Concepcion (152, 2 deaths), Barotac Viejo (151), Pavia (135), Passi City (133, 1 death), Balasan (131, 4 deaths), Estancia (131, 1 death), San Dionisio (129), Guimbal (113), Banate (110), Miag-ao (103, 1 death), Maasin (101, 1 death), Dingle (96), Badiangan (88), Santa Barbara (81), Dueñas (79, 1 death), San Miguel (75), Alimodian (70), Mina (70), San Rafael (68, 1 death), Batad (63), Igbaras (63), Lemery (61), Bingawan (59), Zarraga (55), Leganes (53), Anilao (52), San Enrique (47), Tubungan (34), and New Lucena (18)./PN
