Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan on Friday, July 5, urged Manileños to download the mobile game called "Kapitan Ligtas: Dengue Fighter" on their mobile phones, which is the city's innovative way of observing the Dengue Awareness Month.
Lacuna-Pangan said that the mobile app is a free offline game that can be downloaded via Google Play Store.
Kapitan Ligtas is the mascot of the Manila Health Department (MHD), which educates residents on how to stay safe from various illnesses and what they can do if they get sick.
The local government said that the mobile game was introduced by MHD chief Dr. Arnold “Poks” Pangan in an effort to draw the interest of Manileños, especially children whom Lacuna-Pangan said are most prone to dengue.
The mayor also mentioned that the idea was brought about by the fact that most people are on their mobile phones for many hours of the day.
She just urged them to download the app, especially since there is the usual expected rise in dengue cases during the rainy season.
She also said that aside from being enjoyable, the mobile game teaches players about dengue and how to fight the mosquitoes that bring the illness.
"Para rin po sa mga anak at apo kasi very educational ang laro o app na ito, kung saan makikita po kung paano nilalabanan ni Kapitan Ligtas ang lamok na may dalang dengue
(This mobile game is specially made for our kids since it is educational and it shows how Kapitan Ligtas fights mosquitoes that bring dengue),” Lacuna-Pangan said.
"Samahan ninyo si Kapitan Ligtas sa sukdulang labanan laban sa dengue. Pinagsasama ng kapanapanabik na offline na larong ito ang puno ng aksyon na gameplay na may mahalagang pang-edukasyon na nilalaman upang matulungan kang matutunan kung paano pigilan ang pagkalat ng dengue (Join Kapitan Ligtas in the ultimate battle against dengue. This thrilling offline game combines action-packed gameplay with valuable educational content to help you learn how to stop the spread of dengue)," Dr. Pangan said.
Pangan noted that the app is currently available for Android phones, but in the weeks to come, it may also become available for iOS.