Albay Cathedral helps fight dengue with 4 p.m. bell tolls

LEGAZPI CITY — The bells of the St. Gregory the Great Albay Cathedral and its chapels will ring for one minute at 4 p.m. every day to remind residents to clean their surroundings and eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

Rev. Fr. Lyndon Balubar, parish priest, said the initiative was in response to a request from the Albay Provincial Health Office for the Church’s help in raising awareness about dengue prevention.

“We received a letter from the provincial government, particularly the Provincial Health Office, asking for the help of priests in informing the public about efforts to combat dengue by ringing the bells,” Balubar told the Inquirer on Friday (September 25).

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READ: Albay under state of calamity as dengue cases hit 1,785

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He said the bell-ringing would inspire parishioners to practice the “seek and destroy” strategy — taktak, taob, takip and tuyo (shake off, turn over, cover and dry open receptacles) — to prevent the spread of dengue.

Balubar said priests would also remind parishioners during Mass to dispose of dirty and stagnant water, which can become breeding sites for mosquitoes.

He said the campaign also supports the Church’s observance of the Season of Creation, a global celebration that highlights the importance of caring for the environment, particularly water.

The parish urged residents to coordinate with their barangay officials and other institutions to make the cleanup drive more organized and effective.

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Asked how long the bells would continue to ring daily, Balubar said it would be “as long as it is needed.”

“What we are after is to remind them to practice cleanliness and orderliness,” he said./coa