DESPITE confirmation from health officials that rumors of a leptospirosis outbreak at Cogon Public Market are unfounded, City Councilor Yevonna Yacine Emano says sanitation efforts must intensify, not relax.
During a Committee on Health hearing Tuesday, Jan. 27, Emano emphasized that public health concerns should never be dismissed simply as “fake news,” urging the city to err on the side of caution.
“We do our job well kanang makatulog ta sa gabie nga sakto atong gibuhat nga trabaho, Mr. Chair,” Emano said.
The hearing was called following circulating claims that at least 10 cases of the bacterial disease were linked to the market.
However, the City Health Office (CHO) clarified that these reports remain unverified. CHO officials confirmed there are no recorded leptospirosis cases in the city so far in 2026, and none linked to Cogon Market.
Still, Emano advised the committee to prioritize responsibility. She called for intensified cleaning, fumigation, and flushing activities regardless of the verified data.
“If naay mga wrong information, naay ma gusto mabakwi na mga storya, better if it gets corrected… but then again, if nahimo sya nga sumsuman pasabot nga dili lang isa or duha ka tawo ang nag favor sa mga issue,” Emano explained, noting that many residents have genuinely raised concerns about market cleanliness.
The source of the allegations, Engineer Franklin Dagcuta, head of the Cogon United Market Vendors Association, issued an apology during the hearing.
Dagcuta admitted to sharing hearsay with the media regarding the market’s condition. The admission came after Councilor Enrico Salcedo threatened to pass a resolution declaring Dagcuta persona non grata for the statement.
Dagcuta expressed regret over the situation.
“Sakit sa akong dughan kung ipersona non grata ta… igo raman ta nidawat sa report then atong gibuhatan ug action,” Dagcuta said.
Meanwhile, Atty. Marianne Ragas, department manager of the City Economic Enterprises and Business Development Administration, assured the public that Cogon Market remains clean, safe, and subject to ongoing sanitation efforts.
Emano linked the vendors’ economic survival to hygiene.
“The safety, sanitation and livelihood is a public health assurance,” she said.
