The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is now eyeing to include minimum-wage earners and overseas Filipino workers (OFW) on the list of sectors to be prioritized in the government’s novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccination program.
Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said he had formally proposed to the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to include minimum-wage earners to be among the first to be inoculated since they are responsible for a considerable portion of the country’s economic activities.
“There are about 25 to 30 million minimum-wage earners. They are the movers of our economy so their health should be maintained to keep our economy moving,” Bello stressed.
He added that OFWs also greatly help the economy through their dollar remittances.
“OFWs are our modern day heroes so they should be treated as such,” Bello said.
Currently, the labor chief disclosed OFWs are ranked at level 10, while workers are ranked at level 11 in terms of priority of being inoculated with the vaccine.
Bello said he recommended to elevate the priority of OFWs in the list to level 5 or 6.
Based from the list issued by the IATF, the following groups will be prioritized in the vaccination drive of the government, which is expected to start during the first half of the year.
Also to be prioritized are government workers; essential workers, such as in the food, transportation, and tourism sectors; groups in higher-risk areas; OFWs; remaining work force; and students.
Metro LGU vaccination program
RIGHT after the cities of Makati and Manila and San Juan announced that they have already set aside funds to procure Covid-19 vaccines for their constituents, the Department of Health (DOH) urged local government units (LGUs) to work with them for an “effective distribution” and “unified effort” for the vaccination deployment implementation.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the emergency use authorization (EUA) only allows the national government to procure a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“The vaccine will only be made available to the market if it has been given a certificate of product registration. The Phase 3 of the clinical trial is not finished yet, but there were exemptions because of the public health emergency. By saying that, we urge the local government units to work with us because we can pool the funds. The national government can procure and we can have an effective distribution system,” Vergeire said.
She added that this is why they are asking the LGUs to work for a “unified effort” to “avoid technicalities” and efficient monitoring as well.
“We have to remember that the national immunization program rests on the mandate of the Department of Health. So, hopefully the local governments will work with us. We can assure local governments that based on the prioritization list, they are included in the list based on the priority that was spelled out or [that was] officially decided already,” Vergeire stressed.
“Try to work with us so that we can have a more effective vaccination deployment implementation,” she stated.
Makati
Makati Mayor Abigail Binay said the city government has allocated P1 billion to purchase Covid-19 vaccines to ensure that all Makatizens are vaccinated for free.
Binay said Makati City officials are coordinating with vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. and the Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to finalize details of the purchase and mass vaccination.
“This is our No. 1 priority for 2021. I want each and every Makatizen to receive both doses of the coronavirus vaccine for free to protect them and their families against the virus,” she said.
She added, “We’ve seen the damage it can do both to human lives and our economy. After everything we’ve lost this year, we will do whatever it takes to protect our residents, employees, and our business community.”
The mayor said she will ask the City Council to pass a supplemental budget as soon as the city gets the go-ahead from the IATF.
“We will exhaust all means to get the much-needed vaccines early and have all Makatizens vaccinated. The city will also assist companies and businesses that would like to buy vaccines for their employees and workers. We are aiming for 100 percent vaccination in Makati,” she said.
Binay added that preparations for online registration are under way to ensure safe and convenient access of Makatizens to free vaccination against Covid-19.
San Juan
Mayor Francis Zamora, for his part, said the city has allocated P50 million to purchase vaccines.
Zamora said City Hall is coordinating with the national government and talking to pharmaceutical companies to secure the vaccines.
It will conduct a registration for those who want to avail of the free vaccine.
Manila
Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has launched a web site for Manila residents to join the pre-registration process for the free Covid vaccine.
Domagoso said that the city government is allocating P250 million from the city’s 2021 budget.
He also assured the public that the vaccine they will get are safe and effective, as certified by the Food and Drug Administration.
Quezon City
QC Mayor Joy Belmonte has expressed her gratitude to the City Council for the swift approval of the resolution authorizing her to enter into a tripartite agreement with the National Task Force Against Covid-19 and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Philippines for the advance purchase of a Covid-19 vaccine.
The resolution was introduced by Majority Floor Leader Councilor Franz Pumaren and passed on Tuesday afternoon by the council presided by Vice Mayor Gian Sotto.
The City Council cited provisions of the Local Government Code which grants the city the power to promote the health and safety of QCitizens and protect them from the harmful effects of Covid-19.
“With the council resolution, we will soon finalize the tripartite partnership and begin the process of prioritizing our most vulnerable citizens,” Belmonte said.
The city government will prioritize its 10,000 health workers, 300,000 senior citizens, 20,000 adult persons with disabilities, and other priority sectors as recommended by the World Health Organization.
As announced last December, the city has allocated an initial P1 billion in its 2021 budget to purchase vaccines and supplies needed for the inoculation. A portion of this amount will be used for the initial purchase of AstraZeneca’s allocated vaccine for Quezon City.
QC Task Force on Covid-19 Head Joseph Juico said that the city is now finalizing its vaccination program guidelines and requirements such as vaccination centers, storage, transport, and mobilization.
“The Task Force Vax to Normal is almost finished with all the needed systems for this vaccination program. All we need is the vaccine,” Juico said.
Taguig City
Taguig Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano on Tuesday said the city has rolled out a 2021 P13.5-billion “recovery budget,” which includes a P1-billion allotment for vaccination.
“As early as September, we have already started planning for vaccination, it will complement our other ongoing anti-Covid programs like our aggressive mass testing and treatment,” said Cayetano stressing that they want to ensure every citizen has access to a free Covid-19 vaccine.
He added the city wants to make sure that “testing continues throughout 2021; that our free testing in 30 health centers and two drive-through sites continue and we continue to invest in health care and treatment.”
Taguig’s own molecular laboratory and disease surveillance units will also continue operations and will be funded in 2021 since disease surveillance is one of the most important aspects of preventing the spread of Covid and other infectious diseases even while the vaccine is being rolled out.
Mandaluyong City
Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita Abalos said that they have allotted P200 million for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccine.
“We will do everything that we can to make sure that every Mandaleño will get the vaccine,” Abalos assured in Filipino.
Pasay City
Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano assured residents of free Covid-19 vaccines with the initial allotment of P250 million.
The mayor said they are targeting to initially inoculate approximately 275,000 persons.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza