By Azer Parrocha | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has directed all government agencies and instrumentalities to fully support the nationwide simultaneous vaccination drive against COVID-19 from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, Malacañang said on Monday (Nov. 22).
“The President has directed all government agencies and instrumentalities to extend all possible support to the “Bayanihan Bakunahan” program spearheaded by the Department of Health and the Department of Interior and Local Government,” Cabinet Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said in a press statement.
The three-day vaccination drive seeks to inoculate 15 million Filipinos across 16 regions outside Metro Manila.
Currently, some 32.9 million Filipinos have completed their COVID-19 jabs.
Citing government data, Nograles said increased vaccination rates have contributed to the reduction of active COVID-19 cases and the drop in daily new COVID-19 cases.
He also enjoined those who have yet to get vaccinated against COVID-19 to participate in the simultaneous vaccination rollout.
“We urge our unvaccinated kababayans to participate in the Bayanihan Bakunahan project so that they can provide themselves and their families with the protection and peace of mind that vaccines provide its recipients,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to those working to organize all the personnel and resources that will be mobilized “to vaccinate our countrymen, as well as front-liners working for the success of the government initiative.”
Earlier, Nograles clarified that Nov. 29 and Dec. 1 are considered “special working days” while only Nov. 30 is a regular holiday for the commemoration of national hero Andres Bonifacio’s birth anniversary.
Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19, said the national COVID-19 vaccination initiative will involve a “whole-of-society and whole-of-government” approach.
He said deliveries will be fast-tracked by enlisting the help of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, the Office of Civil Defense, the Department of Transportation as well as the private sector.
Medical organizations, nurses’ and dental associations are also going to be tapped to augment the government’s healthcare workers in administering the expected increase in vaccine recipients, which include minors aged 12-17 years old. (PNA) – bny
