One of the country’s leaders in pest control products and services, Mapecon, has emphasized the need for a holistic approach to curbing and controlling pests, may it be industrial bugs or inside our houses.
During his interview with the Daily Tribune’s digital morning show Gising Na!, Bryan Atienza, assistant national director of Mapecon Philippines Inc., said pest control is imperative to prevent the spread of some diseases and viruses brought by rodents, termites, cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, among others
“Also, termites, bukbok (weevil) can cause damage and can compromise the sturdiness of structures like houses and buildings. While others, such as mosquitoes, bring dengue virus, while rats can cause leptospirosis. We should treat this holistically by means of finding its root causes or where these pests lair and not just use chemicals in eradicating them,” according to Atienza.
He said pests easily multiply, and that’s why getting rid of them should be done from all angles.
“And during this rainy season, cases of dengue are surging, even leptospirosis caused by rats. Rats also bite electrical wirings that can cause a fire. It is high time that people should invest in dealing with these pests, which have potential dangers innate to them,” he said.
Shun chemicals
But when infestation strikes, he advised not to immediately dwell with pesticides and chemicals that can harm individuals.
“We get rid of these pests because we want a healthy environment, that’s why we should also check the kind of pesticides that we use to care for our environment, as well as our household members or officemates. We should avoid overly toxic chemicals. Let’s check first its possible hazards and if it has side effects,” according to Atienza, adding that Mapecon uses insecticides invented by Filipino inventor and founder of Mapecon, Gonzalo Jun Catan Jr., an invention that won a silver medal in Geneva, Switzerland in 1997.
Catan Jr. conceived the Manila Pest Control in January 1961, which started by proposing free trial services for one month to customers.
He then bought a sprayer and duster on terms. He worked mostly at night, starting at about four in the morning. In those days, established companies provided services for the control of just a few insects while he offered a complete service to get rid of all insects, rats, and other pests.
After a month of trials, he signed with customers who were impressed with the results of his services: The Manila Hotel, the Jai-Alai Building, and the Safari Restaurant. With 60 percent of the payments he received as profit, he was able to resign from his job and concentrate on building the company.
By 1962, Mapecon had 300 customers and 19 employees. Mr. Catan continued to attract clients by giving free demonstrations of his services. He was then able to sign a chain of theaters, a shipping line, and more than 20 restaurants.
Today, Mapecon has grown from a single proprietorship entity to a multi-million-peso corporation with approximately 700 employees nationwide. It has numerous branches all over the country including the provinces of Cebu, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Davao, Legaspi, Baguio, Palawan and many others.