Iloilo province to be placed under state of calamity due to rising dengue cases

Due to the increasing number of dengue cases, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has recommended the declaration of a state of calamity in the province of Iloilo.

PDRRMC, during a special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 15, passed a resolution recommending that the entire province be placed under a state of calamity.

According to PDRRMO Office head Cornelio Salinas, the province met the criteria set by the National DRRMC for the state of calamity declaration.

The resolution will be forwarded to the Sangguniang Panlalalwigan “for their approval and official declaration.”

The proposed declaration will allow the provincial government and local government units (LGUs) under its jurisdiction to use their quick response funds.

From January 1 to August 10 this year, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) recorded 4,595 dengue cases, including 10 deaths.

Of the 43 LGUs in the province (except Banate and Tubungan), 41 breached the epidemic threshold, which refers to the level of occurrence of disease above which an urgent response is required.IMT