By Teofilo Garcia, Jr. | Philippine News Agency
ZAMBOANGA CITY – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is set to issue an executive order giving incentives to fully vaccinated beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista made this announcement Tuesday (Nov. 30) during his visit to the different vaccination centers in this city.
As the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) of Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), Bautista visited the city to monitor the outcome of the three-day National Vaccination Days that started Monday (Nov. 29) and ends Wednesday (Dec. 1).
“The President will issue an executive order on how to grant incentives to the members of 4Ps once they submit themselves for vaccination without violating the regulations governing the program (4Ps),” Bautista said during his visit at the vaccination center in Barangay Sta. Maria.
Bautista noted that more 4Ps beneficiaries are now interested to get vaccinated after the government conducted remote family development sessions and distributed reading materials while observing the “no face-to-face meeting” policy during the health pandemic.
He said that they emphasize the importance of vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the conduct of the family development sessions.
“We explained to them that they really need to be vaccinated not just for their own protection but also for the sake of their families,” Bautista said.
Data from the DSWD regional office showed that 119,671 4Ps beneficiaries have received their COVID-19 vaccines as of Nov. 29.
Bautista said that they represent about 40% of the total 4Ps beneficiaries in the region based on the report submitted to him by the regional office. (PNA) – bny
