Barangay Malabog in Davao City will implement a “no vaccination card, no issuance of barangay certificate, clearance, and ID” policy starting Friday (Oct. 1).
Authorities said individuals need not be fully vaccinated and are only required to present vaccination cards and a purok certification to acquire the documents.
Brgy. Captain Jessielito Areja said the move is in a bid to encourage more residents to get vaccinated. It has been two weeks since their barangay was classified as high-risk based on the local government’s barangay classification.
The barangay council admitted difficulty in encouraging residents to get vaccinated amid the resistance of two religious groups and the hesitancy on the side of several tribes.
Barangay officials have been conducting information dissemination regarding the new policy up for implementation.
“Ito ay base sa aming interpretation sa Republic Act 7160 na meron kaming local autonomy na gumawa ng mga bagay na makakabuti sa aming barangay,” Areja said.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte expressed support for the policy, saying that she does not see any problem with its implementation.
She also advised the barangay not to solely rely on vaccination cards, but to ensure verification of its database of vaccination clusters to avoid fake or duplicate records.
“If anyone feels na aggrieved sila with the policy of the barangay, they can always go to DILG [Department of the Interior and Local Government],” she said.
“Katulad ng if they feel aggrieved sa policy ng City Government of Davao na mandatory vaccination, they can always go to the city legal office,” she added.
Malabog has a population of over 13,000 based on the 2015 census, but only 2,500 have been vaccinated since the start of the vaccination rollout. – Report from Regine Lanuza/AG- bny
