Inclusion of guvs, mayors in Priority A1 vax list approved

(UPDATED) MALACAÑANG has encouraged local chief executives (LCEs) in the country to register for Covid-19 vaccination, stressing they are now included in the Priority A1 list regardless of their risk classification.

In a press briefing Monday, May 17, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has signed Resolution 115-B upon the concurrence of the Interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (iNitag).

“Napagkasunduan ng inyong IATF na ang mga gobernador at mga mayor ay mapapabilang na rin po sa priority A1.5,” he said.

Resolution 115-B states that all governors and city and municipal mayors or all local chief executives are now under the Priority Group A1.5 of the priority population groups for Covid-19 vaccines, regardless of the risk classification of their respective local government units (LGUs).

“Sila po ang nagpapatupad ng localized lockdown. Sila po ang nagpapatupad ng vaccination. Sila po talaga ang ating instrumento dito sa paglaban natin sa Covid-19. They may not be doctors but they are equally frontliners dahil lahat po ng stratehiya natin ang humaharap po ang mga lokal na opisyales, si mayor at si governor,” Roque said.

“So mayor and governors, magpabakuna na rin po tayo,” he added.

It was the League of Provinces of the Philippines who earlier appealed for the inclusion of the LCEs in the priority list.

The IATF, in Resolution 115-B, agreed that “the continued implementation of proactive measures and restrictions must be put in place to slow down the surge in Covid-19 cases, stop further spread of variants, buy time for the health system to cope, and to protect more lives.”

The resolution was signed Monday, May 17, by Department of Health Secretary and IATF chairperson Francisco Duque III and IATF co-chairperson Karlo Nograles.

As of May 15, a total of 2.9 million vaccines have so far been administered to Filipinos, particularly workers in frontline health services, senior citizens, individuals with comorbidities, and frontline personnel in essential sectors.

Of those vaccinated, 714,432 have so far completed their two doses of Covid-19 vaccines, said Roque.

He said the country targets to inoculate about 50 to 70 percent of the country’s population by the fourth quarter of 2021. (Laureen Mondoñedo-Ynot/SunStar Philippines)