DPWH declogs canals to help fight dengue

MANILA, Philippines — To keep dengue-carrying mosquitoes at bay, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has cleared canals and culverts on national roads and in construction sites in Metro Manila and in the rest of the country.

During the first half of the year, the department has desilted and unclogged around 2.4 million linear meters of culverts and canals to prevent the spread of dengue, which has left more than a thousand dead.

“Addressing this mosquito-borne viral infection requires a collective effort and that’s why we in the DPWH are doing all the necessary actions to ensure that communities along national roads, bridges and construction sites are safe from the risk of dengue,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said in a statement.

The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 249,332 dengue cases nationwide as of Aug. 24, the highest so far since 2012.