Antique Officials Launch Weekly ‘BarKaDa’ Cleanup to Combat Dengue Surge

ANTIQUE — Barangay officials have been called to intensify the weekly Barangay at Kalinisan Day (BarKaDa) cleanups in an effort to control the escalating number of dengue cases in the province.

According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative aims to prevent barangays from becoming breeding grounds for dengue-carrying mosquitoes. The campaign mandates the participation of all households in cleaning and eliminating potential mosquito habitats. Tajanlangit highlighted Tobias Fornier, where every Saturday is designated for community clean-up activities. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) supports this initiative through Memorandum Circular Number 2023-133, which enforces the execution of the BarKaDa.

In response to the health crisis, Provincial Board member Victor Condez has proposed a resolution to urge barangay and municipal government units across Antique to engage in mandatory weekly cleanups. This move is part of broader efforts by local health officials to address the concerning rise in dengue incidents.

The Antique Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) reported a significant increase in dengue cases, with 512 instances recorded from January 1 to July 25, 2024, compared to 300 cases during the same period in the previous year.