ILOILO – The municipal government of Cabatuan set aside P5 million for the procurement of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“We approved this initial amount para in case nga kulang ang allocation of the province, may hulagon kami,” said Mayor Ronilo Caspe.
The mayor added that he had a brand of preference – vaccines from British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca.
Cabatuan had 37,903 residents qualified for vaccination, Caspe said.
These included the town’s healthcare workers, senior citizens, indigents, person with co-morbidities, barangay officials, Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), the police and fire fighters, among others.
However, only 7,617 or 20 percent have so far signified willingness to be vaccinated.
Caspe said they are intensifying their vaccination information campaign in Cabatuan’s 68 barangays.
The local government unit formed a campaign team composed of personnel from the Rural Health Unit and the PNP, contact tracers and barangay officials.
“The information drive started in the first week of March,” Caspe said.
“Gusto naton ipasiguro nga wala dapat sang kahadlokan sa pagpabakuna,” he added.
Caspe together with other local officials said they are also willing to be publicly inoculated “to encourage our fellow Cabatuananons to get vaccinated.”/PN
