Not all local government units can use their calamity fund to fight dengue, President Benigno Aquino III said in a pre-recorded radio interview aired Monday.
In the interview with a radio station, Aquino said only local governments which registered a spike in the number of dengue cases could be authorized to use their calamity funds.
“Baka certain areas baka pwedeng i-authorize ‘yun, ‘yung mga nag-spike pero ‘yung sa mga areas ang laki ng hinupa tapos sasabihin ninyo emergency baka may issue ‘yun, baka may legal implications ‘yun," he said.
He said the Commission on Audit could question cities and provinces that will use their calamity funds to fight dengue.
Last week, Guimaras province in Western Visayas was declared under a state of calamity due to high incidence of dengue cases.
With the province under a state of calamity, the local government expects to use the 5-percent calamity fund mainly for medicines, Guimaras Governor Felipe Nava said.
At least 275 dengue patients remain confined in hospitals in the province, of which 41 were in critical condition and transferred to better-equipped hospitals in Iloilo.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona earlier said dengue is now a "serious concern" after the number of cases rose by 75 percent from January to August this year, compared to the number of cases recorded a year earlier.
From January 1 to Aug. 14, 2010, the Health Department said 54,659 dengue cases were reported nationwide — nearly double 31,248 cases recorded in the same 2009 period.
There were 429 deaths recorded in the last seven months, with almost 80 percent of the cases in the 1-20 age bracket. — VS
