Negros governor bucks sanctions on underperforming LGUs on vax

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson is against a proposal to impose sanctions against local government units (LGUs) with low turnout of vaccination against COVID-19.

President Duterte earlier ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government to sanction LGUs and local chief executives performing poorly in the task of vaccinating their constituents.

Instead of punishing them, underperforming LGUs should be identified and solutions worked out, Lacson said.

“Only then, maybe, you can sanction if it’s not followed by LGUs,” he added.

“But right now, I don’t think it is right to sanction them, because nobody wants to delay it,” he stressed.

The Department of Health-Western Visayas earlier noted lower vaccination turnout in Negros Occidental, compared to other provinces in the region.

Provincial officials have blamed slow vaccine deliveries from the national government. They said vaccine deliveries are quickly used up before new batches of vaccine doses arrive.

Lacson also noted that a large volume of vaccines started to arrive in Negros Occidental three weeks ago.

As of Nov. 7, a total of 355,377 Negrenses or 19.47 percent of the target population have completed their vaccine doses and 465,926 are getting their first dose or 25.53 percent of the target, according to a report released yesterday by provincial administrator Rayfrando Diaz.

The provincial government is targeting 1,825,370 of the 2.6 million population to be vaccinated, in order to achieve herd immunity.

A report released by the Provincial Incident Management also showed that the number of COVID-19 active cases is still on the downtrend, totaling 1,985 as of Nov. 7, from its peak of more than 4,400 last month.

National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. yesterday admitted slow vaccination in five regions, but said the problem is being addressed.

He said the slow pace of vaccination in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Region 4B or Mimaropa, Region 5 or Bicol, Region 9 or Zamboanga Peninsula and Region 12 or Soccsksargen was due largely to accessibility problems and lack of vaccinators.

“It is because of accessibility challenges like in BARMM, since Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi are island provinces (and) do not have cold chain facilities for vaccine storage,” Galvez said.

He said medical groups led by the Philippine Medical Association and the Philippine Dental Association and other medical organizations have expressed willingness to help the government ramp up its vaccination program, especially in far-flung areas.

The same groups, he said, have proposed the holding of a three-day National Vaccination Day from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

The government is eyeing to administer one million to 1.5 million vaccine doses a day starting Nov. 20 and is targeting to inoculate 80 percent of the country’s 109 million population by May 9, 2022.

Galvez reiterated his earlier statement that vaccination against COVID-19 should be made mandatory for the safety of everybody.

“When there is danger during typhoons, there is forced evacuation for the welfare of the people. This mandatory vaccination is needed because otherwise, it will put our economy and our health at risk,” he said.

“The President’s directives are clear – increase LGUs’ capacities, ramp up vaccination, mobilize all government assets and impose sanctions if necessary,” Galvez said.

“All of these were discussed with local chief executives, together with the support they require from the national government. This is voluntary. We will make sure that nobody will be left out and we will not leave anyone,” he pointed out.

Galvez along with key officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the DILG and NTF met with provincial and city chief executives on Friday to discuss strategies that need to be implemented to achieve the country’s vaccination coverage target.

“All resources of the government will be mobilized to achieve our goal and these will be complemented by our private sector partners. Because at the end of the day, we share a common vision and that is, to protect lives and ensure the sustainable reopening of the Philippine economy,” Galvez said.

He noted that while the focus of the current vaccination rollout will be residents of key cities, provinces and those areas with a high level of economic activity, the national government will provide support to all regions.

“We will activate more vaccination sites and ensure that LGUs will bring in their residents to these sites to get inoculated. We will also strengthen the coordination between the DOTr and LGUs that have geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas and communities to fast-track the deployment of vaccines, ” Galvez said.

“We are looking at addressing all challenges collectively with all levels of government, including private citizens and organizations working together,” he added.

Galvez pointed out that the expansion of the vaccine coverage to the general population, including those within the 12-17 age group, would have a significant impact on the nation’s effort to rein in COVID-19. — Jose Rodel Clapano