LAPU-LAPU City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan drew flak after he issued an executive order in which a provision states that unvaccinated persons in the city will be barred from entering public and private markets, department stores and convenience stores starting on Aug. 25, 2021.
The local executive said he will review his move after it attracted negative sentiments on social media. He will also monitor the number of new Covid-19 cases and the number of city residents who are vaccinated before reaching a decision.
Chan said he reached this decision because he sees it as one of the ways to slow down the spread of Covid-19 infections in the city.
He said the city residents have enough time to have themselves vaccinated.
Chan said he does not want the quarantine status of the city, which is currently in the less stringent modified general community quarantine, to be reverted to a stricter one, adding it would bring more misery to the cash-strapped City Government and Oponganons.
Without divulging specific numbers, Chan said the isolation facility and private and public hospitals in the city are already full.
A day after Chan released his executive order, the mayor said several residents flocked to the six vaccination sites in the city Tuesday.
Police were deployed to the vaccination sites to maintain order, and implement health protocols such as wearing of masks and social distancing. More chairs were also placed in the vax sites.
Chan said walk-in city residents will be entertained at the vaccination sites. He reached this decision after several registrants complained that they had waited for a long time before they were able to receive their schedule for vaccination.
The mayor ordered his personnel to check the city’s registration system and fix the cause of the delay in scheduling.