President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday urged local chief executives to implement measures to reduce waste in a bid to protect public health.
In a speech at the Local Governance Summit 2024, the Chief Executive said the Department of Health has attributed the current surge in leptospirosis and dengue cases to improper garbage disposal and poor waste management.
President Marcos further explained that the country’s solid waste management problem is also a major factor that caused flooding in Metro Manila during the onslaught of Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon in July.
“Local chief executives must work harder to utilize environmentally-sound methods and waste minimization measures to protect public health and of course, our environment,” the President said.
During the event, President Marcos urged local leaders to spearhead aggressive information dissemination drives to promote a healthy lifestyle and prevent diseases.
He called on LGUs to remind Filipinos, especially children, to avoid swimming in floodwaters.
The public should also be reminded to practice proper personal hygiene to mitigate the spread of leptospirosis, Mpox, and other illnesses, the President said.
The Chief Executive cited the KALINISAN Program led by the Department of the Interior, which reflects the government’s “earnest efforts in improving our waste disposal and management to ensure a clean, healthy, and safe environment for all.”
“I call on the LGUs to continue your active participation in this initiative,” President Marcos said.
Earlier this week, the President ordered agencies to continue monitoring areas and people most vulnerable to Mpox.
Department of Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said there is no public emergency with regard to Mpox, citing the low number of cases and the disease’s low fatality rate. He also noted that the disease is not airborne.
Unlike Covid-19, Mpox may only be transmitted through intimate or skin-to-skin physical contact with someone who is infected or with contaminated materials.
Herbosa assured the President that the DOH is ready to treat and manage Mpox. PND
