ILOILO – The provincial government has commenced distributing P9.1 million in financial aid across 43 local government units (LGUs) to support their anti-dengue initiatives.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.’s Executive Order No. 184 is designed to bolster the dengue outbreak response efforts of LGUs to curb the rising number of dengue cases and related fatalities.
A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, during an emergency meeting of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP-Iloilo), where financial allocations were determined based on the size of each municipality.
According to LMP-Iloilo executive vice president for internal affairs and Badiangan mayor Suzette Mamon, large municipalities will receive P300,000, middle-sized ones P200,000, and smaller municipalities P100,000.
The funds will be processed and released directly to the LGUs to allow for immediate intervention in addressing dengue cases within their respective municipalities.
Mamon also noted that the signed MOA, along with all necessary requirements, has been submitted to the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) for the release of the funds.
The financial assistance comes as the province of Iloilo is declared under a state of calamity following a significant surge in dengue cases, with local governments seeking additional resources to manage the outbreak effectively.
The following will receive financial assistance:
* Cabatuan, Calinog, Carles, Passi City, Dumangas, Janiuay, Lambunao, Miag-ao, Pavia, Oton, Pototan, Santa Barbara, and Tigbauan – P300,000 each
* Dueñas Estancia, Guimbal, Igbaras, Leganes, Lemery, Leon, Maasin, Ajuy, Alimodian, Anilao, Balasan, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Concepcion, Carles, San Dionisio, San Enrique, San Joaquin, San Miguel, and Sara – P200,000 each
* Badiangan, Batad, Bingawan, Mina, New Lucena, San Rafael, Tubungan and Zarraga – P100,000 each
The LGUs shall primarily utilize the financial assistance to support their dengue vector control activities, including the procurement of larvecides, adulticides, and sprayers for indoor residual spraying and fogging. Any remaining funds may be used for other activities essential to the dengue outbreak response, such as, but not limited to:
* dengue awareness campaign – reproduction of IEC materials, printing of tarpaulins, payment for radio plugging, meals for community advocacy lectures
* procurement of medicines and medical and laboratory supplies – insecticide-treated nets, mosquito nets, mosquito repellants, dengue test kits, laboratory reagents, intravenous fluids, intravenous cannulation set, oral rehydration salts, paracetamol, and other related medicines supplies
From January 1 to August 31, Iloilo recorded 7,814 dengue cases with 20 deaths – 562 percent compared to the cases recorded in same period last year (1,182 cases with two deaths).
Areas with 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 with 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)./PN
