The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Tuesday announced that it has spearheaded clearing, declogging, and desilting works along national roads and construction camp sites to prevent the spread of dengue in the country.

In a statement, the Public Works department said that the initiative is part of primary intervention of the agency in the prevention and control of potential mosquito-breeding ground along national roads and construction camp sites.

It is also in compliance to the DPWH Memorandum Circular No. 76 series of 1996 regarding the Presidential Administrative Order No. 281 dated 23 July 1996 entitled “Launching of the National Tepok Lamok and Dengue Sapok Program.”

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar noted that the agency has already cleaned, cleared, desilted, and declogged culverts and canals with a total of 4.5 million linear meters in 2018 and 2.4 million linear meters from January to June 2019 in different areas nationwide.

“Addressing this mosquito-borne viral infection requires a collective effort and that’s why we in the DPWH are doing all the necessary actions to ensure that communities along national roads, bridges, and construction sites are safe from the risk of dengue by clearing and declogging open canals, drainages, inlets, gutters, and box culverts on an average of two to three times a year,” said Villar.