The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) can mete out sanctions against a local government unit (LGU) found to be negligent in upholding its responsibility to look out for the general welfare and health conditions of its constituents.

The statement was issued by DILG Bohol assistant director Mardonio Roxas on Friday in relation to the issue on 12 Bohol LGUs refusing to declare a dengue outbreak in their respective localities and ignoring the advice of the Department of Health (DOH).

The DOH had advised the towns of Anda, Buenavista, Calape, Clarin, Garcia Hernandez, Getafe, Lila, Loon, Panglao, Sagbayan, Talibon and Valencia to declare a dengue outbreak.

“Kana siya nga responsibilidad tinuod naa na siya sa atoang mga local chief executives ang pag tan-aw sa general welfare apil na ang atoang health condition sa mga katawhan,” said Roxas.

However, Roxas noted that only DILG Secretary Eduardo Año can mete out sanctions against LGUs.

“Mura’g dili mi makahatag ana na sanction, tua g’yud na siya sa secretary nga naay overall supervision sa mga local government units, kay delegated authority mana gikan sa Presidente ug tua kutob sa secretary. Dili man ma re-delegate ang delegated authority,” he said.

According to Roxas, they are only tasked to forward complaints to their head office which in turn will investigate and order the sanction.

So far, there have been no complaints lodged before the local DILG office regarding the inaction of LGUs in line with the DOH’s recommendation.

Based on data released by the DOH-Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit 7 last week, the number of dengue cases in Bohol from January 1 to May 25, 2019 soared to 1,419 from just 177 in the same period last year, marking a staggering 702 percent increase.

Earlier, Provincial Health Office chief Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot said that the number of dengue cases would not have soared as much if the towns had declared an outbreak, noting that the LGUs would have had access to emergency funds if such declaration was made.

“Dunay silay access sa emergency funds. Kada lungsod dunay may ngana. So kung unsy gusto nilang paliton nga ipangontra nato sa dengue, mas dali sila makapalit kay emergency man ang nature kay outbreak na gud ang sitwasyon. Mao ng makapalit sila dayon kaysa mo agi pa ka og bidding, pwede e-question pud ka sa COA,” he said said in an earlier interview.

The PHO has acquired 11 misting machines to spray insecticide in areas that may have dengue-carrying mosquitoes but these have been not enough to cover the needs of all the affected towns.

“Duhay mo gamit ani [machines], hospital og kadtong mga kalungsuran na dunay tag-as og kaso sa dengue.Sa hospital, gamit ni nila sa pagpanghinlo sa ilang operating room, delivery room ug sa ilang mga laboratories. Unya karon mura’g nanggi-ilog ni sila,” said Cabagnot. (AD)