ILOILO City – More coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations may be undertaken in Western Visayas this month.
Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) assured the region of bigger volume of anti-coronavirus shots during a city hall visit yesterday.
“The surge (in COVID cases) already dissipated in the National Capital Region and adjacent provinces. As ordered by President (Rodrigo Duterte), it’s time for us to re-allocate more vaccines to the provinces, specifically in regions 6, 10, 11, and 12,” Densing said.
The government is expecting at least 11 million vaccine doses this July. The biggest chunk would be distributed to the aforementioned regions.
Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas said some 203,000 of the city’s more or less 500,000 residents signified willingness to be vaccinated against coronavirus disease.
ILOILO CITY’S ASSESSMENT
The city government, local officials, the national government and the Ilonggos must come together if Iloilo wants to downgrade its current modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) status to the more lenient general community quarantine (GCQ), according to Densing.
“We really have to reduce the COVID-19 numbers so we can deescalate the quarantine,” Densing said.
He appealed to the Ilonggos to always be compliant with the minimum health protocols and stay home.
“Napaka-importante na hindi lalabas ng bahay kung hind naman kinakailangan. Lalabas lamang po kung tayo mag-trabaho or bibili ng importanteng bagay pero kon wala or hindi importante at gusto lamang magpasyal, huwag muna,” Densing added.
MAYOR’S ‘OUTSPOKENNESS’
Densing also commended Treñas’ leadership, particularly on how he is marshaling the city amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The official cited the mayor’s communicativeness – with his team and the national government.
“I appreciate Mayor Treñas,” Densing said. “One is the internal communication, the fact that he meets with his important officials including the various agencies on a regular bases… that shows what kind of leadership he has internally.”
He added: “And the fact that he communicates the needs of the city to the national government… In particular, he would always call me on what is needed to be addressed…”
Densing pointed out that communication is of great importance amid troubled times.
“We won’t know what is the need by the local governments if (these are) not communicated to us,” he added./PN
