In a bid to minimize the spread of leptospirosis during the rainy season, the Marikina City government is offering residents a P200 cash reward for every rat they are able to capture.

Marikina City Mayor Marcelino "Marcy" Teodoro said the rat for cash program was relaunched on Monday, 13 September, and will continue until Friday, 16 September.

When it was first implemented in 2020, the cash reward depended on the size, weight and quantity of the captured rats; this year, it has been fixed at P200 for each 150-gram rat.

Residents may bring their captured rats at the City Environmental Management Office located at Gil Fernando Avenue in Barangay Sto. Niño from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

CEMO personnel said dead rats must be placed in tightly-sealed plastic bags and containers, while live rats must also be put in a plastic bag or a sack.

Residents must also wear gloves, preferably disposable ones, while handling the rats. They must also wash their hands after handing them.

Teodoro said they distributed rat trapping equipment and tools to encourage residents to take part in the program.

He added he wanted residents to be proactive in cleaning their surroundings, especially during rainy season.