By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod passed a resolution calling on all public and private schools in the city, along with barangays and city government offices, to conduct anti-dengue activities, particularly the “Sabayang 4-O’clock habit.” According to City Councilor Cindy Rojas, “This is in pursuant to the Department of Health (DOH) memorandum in response to the declaration of national dengue epidemic in the country.”
Last June, DOH-Region VI infectious and emerging disease cluster head, Dr. Elvie Villalobos, reminded barangays across the region to practice the “4 O’clock habit” by cleaning their respective neighborhoods daily.
Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia has since ordered the City Health Office (CHO) to deploy nurses to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in order to augment medical personnel attending to dengue patients. In response, CHO head Ma. Carmela Gensoli said they are temporarily deploying its 12 nurses to CLMMRH.
Meanwhile, Rojas said all Bacolodnons should work hand-in-hand to combat the threat of dengue./DGB, WDJ