SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique - Antique province is counting on a tune to hook its residents to clean their surroundings as part of its campaign against dengue fever.

The highlight of the start of the National Disaster Resilience Month in the province on Friday was a jingle played for more than an hour to remind residents of their duty to curb the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.

Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (PDRRMO) Broderick Train said in an interview that dengue is rising in the province, hence, they decided to use the caravan to play the jingle to disseminate the need for the public to observe cleanliness.

"The caravan started early this morning from San Jose de Buenavista to the neighboring towns of Sibalom and Hamtic," he said.

According to Train, the dengue jingle relayed the message for people to observe the 4S, which stands for search and destroy mosquito breeding places, self-protection measures such as wearing long-sleeved shirts, seeking early consultation, and support spraying to prevent impending outbreaks.

The five-minute jingle was played alternately with the song of the National Disaster Resilience Month.

The caravan covering three towns lasted for about one and a half hours.

Data from the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) showed that Antique, from January 1 to June 30, has recorded 1,174 dengue cases, including four deaths.

The cases increased by 431 percent when compared with the 221 cases in the same period last year.

The three towns with the most number of cases are San Jose de Buenavista with 262, Sibalom with 237, including one death, and Hamtic with 148, including two deaths.

IPHO information officer Irene Dulduco said aside from playing the jingle as an advocacy campaign, their office also provided flyers and other materials that the PDRRMO distributed to their municipal counterparts to boost the awareness campaign.

She said the campaign against dengue should be a concerted effort because of the possibility of the outbreak, which could also lead to a calamity.

"Our Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao, as chairman of the PDRRM Council upon the request of IPHO chief Dr. Ric Noel Naciongayo, is even appealing to everyone to do their share in cleaning up their surroundings to prevent further increase in cases of dengue," Dulduco said. (PNA)