Village officials in the Philippines are incentivizing residents to capture mosquitoes with cash rewards to combat a dengue outbreak. Initiated in Addition Hills, Manila, participants receive one peso for every five mosquitoes captured. While this program aims to reduce the mosquito population amid rising dengue cases—reportedly increasing 40% this January compared to last—concerns have emerged about the potential for residents to exploit the initiative by breeding mosquitoes for profit. Health officials recommend regular clean-ups of stagnant water instead to sustainably address the dengue issue.
One resident walked away with nine pesos, worth approximately 15 US cents, for the 45 larvae he turned over.
Village chair Carlito Cernal said in a social media post that the village had organised the programme due to an increase in dengue cases in the area.
The department instead recommended putting efforts towards regular clean-ups of areas that have stagnant water, and encouraging early reporting of dengue cases.
However, there are concerns the village bounty programme may inadvertently backfire, if people start propagating mosquitoes to reap the rewards.
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