Manila neighbourhood puts bounty on dengue-carrying mosquitoes

Residents in a central Manila neighbourhood lined up on Wednesday, as dengue cases spike nationwide, to collect a bounty — one peso for every five mosquitoes, dead or alive.

Carlito Cernal, village captain in Addition Hills, said the awareness-raising project he initiated could have a "huge impact" on curbing the tropical disease's spread when combined with local clean-up efforts.

Philippine health officials and experts who spoke to AFP were less convinced, but enthusiasm was high among residents who carried pails, cups and other containers filled with dengue-spreading mosquitoes to exchange for cash at the village hall.

Iluminado Candasua brought three live specimens in a sealed plastic cup that were duly counted and transferred by village officials to their so-called death chamber, a glass-enclosed UV light machine.

"It's very hard to capture mosquitoes," Candasua told AFP, explaining how he strategically chose a darkly lit fire station where he used a cup to manually trap the insects against a wall.

Candasua said the peso he got for his efforts, worth little more than a US penny, would go into a piggy bank he's using to save for a cellphone for his child.

The World Health Organisation ranked the Philippines as the country most affected by dengue in the Western Pacific region in 2023 when it had 167,355 cases and 575 deaths.

The tropical disease, while rarely fatal, carries symptoms ranging from fever and headaches to swollen glands.

The country has seen an "unusual rise" in cases this year, with 28,200 patients recorded as of February 1, according to Department of Health spokesman Dr Albert Domingo, a 40% increase from the same period last year.

Five cities and municipalities have declared outbreaks.

Domingo told AFP on Wednesday it was important that local communities consult with health authorities before launching ad hoc efforts, adding that the problem was best addressed by "going back to the fundamentals".

"The sooner we clean our surroundings and overturn any possible areas where stagnant water is collecting, then we will have a better fight against dengue," he said, urging residents to protect themselves with insect repellent and long sleeves.

Public health expert Anthony Leachon told AFP that while he welcomed all anti-dengue initiatives, the Addition Hills roundup would have "little or no impact at all".

Some residents, he warned, might even exacerbate the problem by cultivating mosquitoes for coins.

While Rachel Estoque did not intentionally breed mosquitoes, the haul she turned in Wednesday came from a source of stagnant water in her home.

The 45-year-old housewife told AFP she woke up early to catch mosquito larvae growing in water in her flower pot. The 20 larvae earned her four pesos, enough for a tiny packet of cooking oil.

But like others waiting to trade in their catch, Estoque said the money was less important than the principle involved.

"My child suffered from dengue before and I know how scary and difficult that is... that's why I'm participating in this project," she said.