Flooding brought on by high tide continues to disrupt daily life in Dagupan City, and for local business owners the situation is becoming more difficult due to rats emerging from drainage canals during floods.

At the Magsaysay Fish Market in Barangay Uno, residents and vendors have spotted rodents roaming around during floods.

To protect the community from leptospirosis, barangay officials have started handing out free prophylactic medicine.

“Kasi kapag baha, may mga daga. ‘Yung ihi ng daga, delikado ‘yun kaya for protection nila,” Barangay Uno Chairman Herminigildo Rosal said.

For residents like Cesar Pangan, whose home gets flooded almost daily, the free medicine is a big help.

“Malaking bagay kasi hindi na kami bibili pa ng gamot. At least may gamot na libre,” he said.

Pangan said every high tide floods the inside of his house. He has no choice but to wade through the water every day.

Beyond Barangay Uno, the city has begun widespread distribution of prophylaxis in other low-lying communities and to vendors working in flood-prone areas.