BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Ninety-nine percent of the personnel of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) were vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
NOCPPO’s vaccine report was released yesterday after the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Dionardo Bernardo Carlos mulled reassigning unvaccinated personnel to “low risk” duty.
Police Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, spokesperson of NOCPPO, said 2,030 personnel were fully vaccinated, while 332 were waiting for their second dose.
Twenty-four personnel have chosen not to get vaccinated. Donasco said they have legitimate reasons.
According to Carlos, the unvaccinated personnel will not be deployed for field work.
“More likely they will be assigned to do administrative work so that they will be less exposed to risks of COVID-19 infection,” Carlos said.
These administrative functions will have limited close contact with the public and other co-workers, Carlos said.
Earlier, the country’s top cop proposed a “no vaccination, no job” policy.
On Monday, Carlos said they were crafting a memorandum circular in light of the scheme.
Donasco said they have not yet received any mandate from the national headquarters, although she is confident with NOCPPO’s high vaccination rate.
Carlos said vaccination is no longer a matter of personal choice, but a matter of “public interest for the common good.”
Data (as of Dec. 6) from PNP showed 1,808 personnel nationwide are not yet vaccinated./PN
