BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia has issued Executive Order (EO) No. 83, creating the Bacolod City Covid-19 vaccination (Covac) Council.
Leonardia, who signed the EO on December 22, said on 9 November, the American drug company Pfizer reported that its new Covid-19 vaccine is more than 90 percent effective, and shortly after, another American company, Moderna, reported similar positive news regarding its own vaccine.
He said there are also other Covid-19 vaccines in advanced stages of development in other countries that may, later on, be authorized for Philippine use by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), including vaccines from the United Kingdom, Russia, India and China.
On 9 November, vaccine czar and IATF Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez presented the Philippine National Vaccine Roadmap for the acquisition and distribution of one or more Covid-19 vaccines.
“It is the highest priority of the city government to ensure that the lives of Bacolodnons, especially the underprivileged, poor and marginalized, frontline workers, health professionals, healthcare providers, police officers and soldiers, and those in the essential services, especially women who represent the majority of the health workforce, as well as senior citizens, persons with disabilities, children and people in vulnerable situations, shall be protected from Covid-19 by ensuring accessibility and adequacy of supply of related drugs and vaccines,” Leonardia said.
Galvez also earlier informed the city mayor that Bacolod City is among the priorities of the National Vaccination Program.
“In light of the foregoing developments, the Bacolod City Government shall organize a council to oversee and ensure the expeditious and orderly acquisition and distribution of the vaccine in the City,” Leonardia said.
The Covac Council will be headed by Leonardia with its Vice-Chairperson Vice Mayor El Cid Familuaran; Council Coordinator City Administrator Em Ang; and its members Councilors Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero, Israel Salanga, Lady Gles Pallen and Ayesha Villaflor; City Health Office Officer-In-Charge Dr. Edwin Miraflor, Dr. Grace Tan; Budget Officer Imelda Williams; Bids and Awards Committee Maphilindo Polvora; City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan; Department of Social Services and Development head Pacita Tero; Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Joemarie Vargas; Private Sector Representative Dr. Hector Gayares; non-government organizations (NGO) Representative Dr. Chris Sorongon; Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases President Dr. Rowela Tiples Ruiz; Philippine College of Physicians President Dr. Michael Thomas Salvador and two NGO’s representing the research sector.
The Covac Council will be the designated body that will plan, supervise, and implement programs and activities related to the City Covid-19 Vaccination roadmap, with the view of providing citizens access and delivery of this disease preventive measure at the soonest possible time with the "widest and most realistic coverage possible."
It shall also be tasked with the function of closely coordinating and integrating with the National Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease, Department of Health, Department of Budget and Management, the major Leagues of Local Government officials, and other government and non-government instrumentalities to ensure that health and safety standards on the City Vaccination Program are observed at its highest standards.