MANILA, Philippines — Marikina residents have been called to assist in the local government’s drive to minimize the risk of water-borne disease leptospirosis during this rainy season by hunting pesky rats in their neighborhood and exchange it for cash.
Marikina Vice Mayor Marion Andres said their “Daga Mo Palit Cash Program” — literally Rats for Cash Program — is open to dwellers of the city and encourages them to catch rats, dead or alive, and surrender the disease-carrying creatures to the City Environment Management Office (CEMO) in exchange for money.
Senior citizens and minors are not allowed to participate in the campaign due to existing COVID-19 regulations.
According to Andres, the captured rats will be measured and cash grants will be given accordingly. The program would run for two days, from Thursday, October 15, to Friday, October 16.
“Simple lang ang ating mechanics magdala ng daga, patay man o buhay, sa City Environment Management Office sa darating na October 15 at 16, 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.,” Andres, a doctor by profession, said in a Facebook post.
(Our mechanics are simple, just bring rats that are either dead or alive at the City Environment Management Office between October 15 and 16, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m..)
“Dun na din susukatin ang inyong mga dalang DAGA para sa inyong cash. Paigtingin ang Laban Kontra Lepto ngayong Rainy Season! Para sa isang Malusog, Masagana at Maunlad na Marikeño,” he added.
(The rats you brought would be measured there for your corresponding cash. Let us intensify the fight against leptospirosis this rainy season, to have a healthy and prosperous Marikina.)
Andres, in a Facebook post, showed that some residents have started bringing rats to the CEMO branch along Gil Fernando Avenue.
But he reminded participants that only rats caught in Marikina City will be accepted, thus, hunters will have to bring their identification cards to prove their residency.
The city government also reminded participants to follow minimum health and safety standards set due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and place captured rats in proper containers like garbage bags.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease causing blood infection, commonly obtained by coming in contact with contaminated water — usually a rat’s urine. While leptospirosis is a treatable ailment, disregarding its symptoms has been proven fatal in some instances.
Marikina is a city often beset by flooding. It is located beside the Marikina River – which water level easily rises amid continuous rain – and near the mountains of Rizal.
In the past days, rains have been frequent especially since two cyclones, Tropical Storm Nika and Tropical Depression Ofel, have crossed near Metro Manila. And while Ofel is expected to move away from the country in the next hours, the state weather bureau said it has spotted new massing of clouds that could develop into another tropical depression.