ILOILO – The municipal government of New Lucena, Iloilo is aiming to inoculate about 17,000 residents included in its priority population with jabs against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The town’s top priorities were healthcare workers, barangay officials, elderly, persons with disability, barangay health workers, and barangay tanods.
According to Mayor Liecel Mondejar-Seville, an assessment shall be done prior to vaccine distribution “para mabal-an kon qualified sila sa pagbaton sang vaccine.”
“Boluntaryo ini ang bakuna. Indi pagpiliton sang local government unit (LGU) ang mga residente kon indi sila,” Mondejar-Seville told Panay News.
To help raise awareness on vaccination, the Municipal Health Unit kicked-off an advocacy campaign for New Lucena’s 21 barangays.
“Kada tapos sang advocacy campaign sa isa ka barangay, gina-survey dayun ang mga pumoluyo kon willing sila magpa-vaccine,” the mayor said.
She added: “We need at least P10 million nga budget for this pero daw indi gid masarangan, that’s why nagpa-survey ako to know how many are willing to be vaccinated.”
Modejar-Seville said she is willing to pass a supplemental budget for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines “pero hulaton ta anay ang consolidated result sang survey.”
The LGU is also waiting for their allocation of vaccines coming from the national and provincial government.
Personally, the local chief executive believed she need not be publicly injected with the anti-coronavirus shot to boost public confidence.
“All I need is to boost my immune system. But we will do our best to provide vaccines sa naga-kinahanglan nga taga-New Lucena,” she stressed./PN
