THE City Government of Bacolod already started the mobile vaccination drive at the three major public markets in the city Friday, August 13, 2021.

Executive Assistant Ernesto Pineda, cluster head on markets, said about 600 market vendors joined the mobile vaccination drive at the Burgos Public Market, Central Public Market, and Liberad Public Market.

On Thursday, Bacolod City launched the mobile vaccination drive at the Bacolod Government Center.

The ceremony was led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia along with the Emergency Operations Centers (EOC) and the medical doctors.

Dubbed as “VAX-i,” the mobile drive aims to make vaccination more accessible to the public.

Pineda said they are thankful for the cooperation of the market vendors for the Covid-19 vaccination program.

He said the mobile vaccination clinic will target workers, like vendors and public transport drivers, who are unable to leave their work for a day to go to vaccination centers.

He added the vendors who failed to join the vaccination Friday can also be inoculated in the next schedule of the mobile vaccination drive in the public markets.

Leonardia, in a statement, said that Vax-i is part of his administration's commitment to inoculate as many Bacolodnons as possible, particularly those coming from the marginalized sector.

“This is a classic case, if Muhammad cannot go to the mountain, let the mountain go to Muhammad,” he said.

He added they are those who are on the fringes of society. They cannot easily leave work and line up for long hours to get vaccinated. Otherwise, they will have no income for the day to feed their families.

The mayor noted that their goal is to make the vaccination program more accessible to everyone so the city can achieve herd immunity and eradicate Covid-19 as fast as possible.

"The VAX-i will be there where we are needed. Our goal is to reach the last mile so that more and more Bacolodnons will be vaccinated, especially those who are the most vulnerable in the society," he added.

Moreover, Pineda also held a meeting with the transport groups yesterday to finalize their schedule for the mobile vaccine drive.

Pineda said they are hopeful that more public jeepney drivers will also join the mobile vaccination drive in the city.