Watsons’ informative, entertaining anti-dengue campaign

Dengue community awareness with a unique art and fashion performance, educational and fun booth activities for the public, and creative promotion of healthcare highlight the “Slay the Swarm: The Anti-Dengue Fashion Phenomenon.”

Presented by Watsons Philippines, with the support of Quezon City Local, the event held at Liwasang Aurora Amphitheater in Quezon Memorial Circle aims to bring awareness to the alarming growth of dengue cases this year.

The Watsons Kontra-Dengue Duo slay the swarm of Aedes Aegypti in a unique, fun and family-friendly anti-dengue awareness community.

“This pioneering health education effort combines art and performance to raise awareness on an often overlooked health concern. We see the importance for us to tackle the seriousness of dengue — why this viral infection shouldn't be taken lightly, but at the same time, we don't need to be afraid of it,” shared Watsons Customer Director Jared de Guzman.

Slay the Swarm was staged in the city with one of the highest cases of dengue in Metro Manila. In fact, Dr. Marlon Molano, Medical Officer 3 of the Quezon City Health Department shared that from January 1 to August 24, the Quezon City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit logged 2,156 dengue cases. In contrast, the total cases for 2022 was 2,558.

“This campaign allows our youth to be well-informed, to be proactive in the fight against dengue, and to propagate the series of awareness through the current information path of this generation – which is social media,” he said.

During the event, families also enjoyed a whole day of surprises from Watsons with engaging booth activities from event partners DirtBugSun, Tiger Balm, OFF!, Bite Block, Soffell, Bye Bye Fever, and Salonpas.

Visitors of Quezon Memorial Circle also were also entertained by special performances during the main event. Four mosquitoes, in high fashion mosquito costumes, emerged from the trash-adorned Hotspot art installation and strutted across the area, with arms flailing about in a vogue-ing dance manner.

They scattered throughout the place and interacted with the public as if they were spreading the dengue virus. However, they were no match against the glamorous Watsons Kontra-Dengue Duo, for the strength of Watsons insect-repellent and immunity-boosting products proved more powerful. The mosquitoes slowly backed away until they were no longer in the picture accepting their defeat, and the Watsons Kontra-Dengue Duo finished with a strong and synergistic performance.

Indeed, Watsons took dengue awareness to a whole new level with this informative and entertaining event.

“Watsons has always advocated for health literacy and accessible health solutions for every Filipino. [Watsons is] grateful to have been given the opportunity to educate its citizens with preventive measures to combat Dengue at Quezon Memorial Circle,” de Guzman finally noted.