City mayors want more vaccines

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) is appealing  for the inclusion of more areas in the priority recipients of COVID-19 vaccines.

In a letter to National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr., Mayors Evelio Leonardia of Bacolod and Arnan Panaligan of Calapan, LCP president and secretary-general, respectively, expressed alarm over reports on the spike in COVID-19 cases in Batangas, Pampanga, Cagayan Valley and parts of the Cordilleras.

The LCP also cited a surge in infections in Mimaropa and Western Visayas, including the cities of Calapan, Bacolod  and Iloilo.

“We deem that the preemptive action of distributing vaccines to a broader number of cities will prevent a potential new wave of case surges throughout the Philippines,” the letter stated.

“We will bank on the expertise of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, NTF and National Immunization Technical Advisory Group to make evidence-based decisions in identifying priority areas in addition to the initial list,” it added.

Leonardia and Panaligan assured Galvez that city mayors would reciprocate the trust and confidence of the national government with more “proactive and efficient programs” in their areas.