Barangay Addition Hills in Mandaluyong City has defended its "Piso sa Mosquito" program, which was launched to address the surge in dengue cases, following negative reactions on social media.
In a Facebook post, Barangay Chairman Carlito Cernal stated that the program is intended to complement other ongoing initiatives by the national government and the Mandaluyong City local government unit, serving as an alternative approach to addressing the worsening problem.
"Ayon sa ulat ng Department of Health ang 17 na siyudad sa NCR ay tumaas ang kaso ng dengue ng 198% kumpara sa nakaraang taon at ang Quezon City ay nagdeklara na ng Dengue Outbreak! HINDI PO ITO BIRO DAHIL NAKAMAMATAY!" Cernal explained.
"Ang Barangay Addition Hills Mandaluyong City na may mataong lugar ang siyang nangunguna na may mataas na kaso ng Dengue na meron 44 pasyente at may mga NAMATAY ng KAAWA AWANG mga Batang Estudyante dulot ng nakakamatay na dengue," he added.
He further stated that he has been receiving messages of grief and complaints from families affected by dengue, especially those who have lost loved ones.
As the Punong Barangay, he noted that it is his responsibility to take action to alleviate and prevent the further spread of dengue, with the help of every citizen.
The Barangay’s program includes 280 maintenance workers who clean the streets, a Team Sisid Kanal that dives into esteros and canals to clean them; and the AHLERT team, which oversees fogging operations in the barangay’s blocks.
Furthermore, Cernal emphasized that the barangay consistently reminds residents to keep their surroundings clean, particularly by ensuring that containers such as gallons, buckets, bottles, and others are free of water that could serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which contribute to the spread of dengue.
However, he clarified that fogging is not recommended to be done regularly, as the smoke can be harmful to health, especially for those who are already ill.
"Sa mga nagkomento ng mga maanghang na salita laban sa programa maging sa aking personal na pagkatao itinuturing ko itong isang "Constructive Critism" subalit hinihikayat ko ang bawat isa na Mag ambag ng alternatibong programa laban sa dengue na ayon sa inyong kaisipan at kaalaman at maaari itong iadopt ng barangay," said Cernal.
He reiterated that there are no ill intentions behind the program he proposed, as it is merely an additional alternative initiative, aimed at combating dengue.
On Sunday, Cernal launched an initiative urging residents to bring any mosquitoes—alive or dead, including larvae—to the barangay office starting February 19, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday.
