Rather than offering financial rewards for catching mosquitoes, local government units (LGUs) should focus on rigorous environmental cleanup efforts to combat dengue, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) said on Thursday, Feb. 20.

PMA President Dr. Hector Santos Jr. warned that offering cash incentives for catching mosquitoes could lead to unintended consequences rather than effectively controlling the spread of the disease.

“Promote more cleaning the environment and removing or destroying breeding sites of mosquito (We should focus more on cleaning the environment and removing or destroying mosquito breeding sites),” he told the Manila Bulletin.

His statement comes after a barangay in Mandaluyong City launched a “May Piso sa Mosquito” program, offering cash rewards to residents for every mosquito caught. 

While well-intentioned, Santos warned that such measures could lead to people breeding mosquitoes for profit instead of actually reducing their population—a phenomenon known as the “Cobra Effect.”
 

The term “Cobra Effect” originates from a historical incident in British India, where authorities offered a bounty for every dead cobra to control their population.

But instead of solving the problem, enterprising individuals began breeding cobras for the reward, ultimately leading to an even larger cobra population when the program was scrapped.
 

Santos cautioned that a similar unintended consequence could arise from mosquito-catching incentives.
 

“Baka gawin pang business at magpa-grow ng mosquito and the larvae para pagkakitaan magbenta nito (People might turn this into a business, growing mosquitoes and their larvae just to sell them for profit),” he warned.

Also, the Department of Health (DOH) urged local governments to coordinate their anti-dengue programs with them to ensure that they are effective. 

Cleaning efforts more effective 

The PMA president urged LGUs to strengthen community-wide cleaning efforts rather than focusing on short-term gimmicks that may not effectively curb the disease’s spread.

“Dun sa may surge na… extra vigilance. Maglinis at patayin ‘yung mosquito (In areas with a surge, people must be extra vigilant. Clean up and kill mosquitoes),” he stressed.

Instead of relying on monetized mosquito collection, he emphasized the importance of fogging operations, larvicide application, and strict monitoring of stagnant water sources, which have proven to be more effective in reducing mosquito populations.

LGUs taking action thru clean-up drives

In contrast to mosquito-catching reward programs, several local government units (LGUs) have intensified their cleaning campaigns to combat the rising cases of dengue. 

Quezon City has ramped up its barangay-led clean-up drives, urging residents to participate in efforts to eliminate mosquito breeding sites. Officials have focused on removing trash, clearing drainage systems, and eliminating standing water in dengue-prone areas to prevent further outbreaks. 

Meanwhile, Manila City has strengthened its fogging and misting operations, deploying teams to conduct widespread mosquito control activities. In addition, the distribution of larvicides to high-risk households has been implemented to curb the spread of the disease and ensure long-term prevention. 

Such proactive measures highlight the commitment of LGUs to prioritize sustained environmental cleanliness over short-term initiatives like incentivized mosquito collection.

Santos stressed that these large-scale and sustainable efforts are far more effective than cash-based mosquito-catching schemes.

Early action is crucial

As such, the PMA warned the public that delaying medical consultation for dengue symptoms could lead to fatal consequences.

“Need early consult of children with fever or weakness. Huwag na antayin nagdudugo ang ilong o Fukushima ng dito (Children with fever or weakness need early consultation. Do not wait until they have nosebleeds or serious complications),” he urged.

Santos reminded the public that once a patient reaches the hemorrhagic phase, the risk of death increases significantly.

“Huli na pag ganito nagdudugo lagay ng bata at death is high with hemorrhagic phase of dengue (It’s too late when a child starts bleeding. The risk of death is high in the hemorrhagic phase of dengue),” he said.

With dengue cases on the rise, the PMA continues to advocate for sustained and science-backed prevention efforts, urging LGUs to focus on long-term solutions rather than temporary measures.