By Rose B. Palacio

Davao City (3 October) -- Department of Education (DepEd) XI Director Diamar Kadon said the department has strengthened and intensified its information drive on the danger of dengue fever disease in all public schools to prevent the spread of such disease following an upsurge cases in Metro Manila and Morong, Rizal.

Davao City Schools Superintendent Gloria Labor said, the thorough campaign is part of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus' order to intensify dengue campaign throughout the country.

Supt. Labor, gracing the DepEd's regular radio forum over DXRP Radyo ng Bayan dubbed as "ARENA-XI Forum" anchored by Jet Olivera and the Philippine Information Agency said, "we already have established measures for the awareness, prevention and control of dengue fever disease in our schools.

Labor, together with Dr. Mimi Fabros and Dodong Atillo during the radio forum, called on the cooperation of the parent-teachers association and health centers for the prevention of the disease, which still remains fatal, if not prevented especially among the kids who are vulnerable of dengue.

Director Kadon said the DepEd's priority is to keep students well informed on how to protect themselves and how to clean their own surroundings in their respective homes the moment they go home after school.

The DepEd is sustaining an environmental cleanup in every school to eliminate mosquito-breeding sites.

The best way to get rid of the breeding sites of mosquitoes is to have clean surroundings, Supt Labor said. We will see more dengue cases, unless we take away their breeding sites, she said.

The government is not recommending fumigation unless there is an epidemic. In outbreak sites, fumigation for one to two weeks is recommended but this must still be accompanies by massive cleanup operations.

Records from the Department of Health showed that from January to August 29, there were 13,467 dengue cases, with 167 deaths. This is 42 percent lower for the same period last year.