MABALACAT City Mayor Cris Garbo said the local government unit (LGU) is targetting herd immunity against Covid-19 by November 15, 2021.
Garbo issued the statement during the regular meeting of the Capampangan In Media Inc. (Cami) in Clark Freeport on Friday.
As of October 14, 2021, a total of 164,362 residents received their first-dose vaccines, the mayor said.
According to Garbo, some 112,644 Mabalaquenos are now fully vaccinated and a total of 278,906 vaccines were administered as of October 14.
The local chief executive said the City Government is set to inoculate the remaining 27,000 residents to complete its target herd immunity on or before November 14, 2021.
"We will try to finish it by the end of this month and we will be getting out herd immunity by November 15, that is our target," Garbo said.
Once the city achieved its herd immunity, the mayor said he will offer the local government's vaccination manpower to other neighboring LGUs.
"Once I have already completed and got the herd immunity, yong pong aking manpower, I will be supporting the neighboring municipalities. Even I will be going back to Bamban, Tarlac; Porac, and Magalang in Pampanga," Garbo said.
"Mag-aasist po ako sa kanila, we will ask the national government na tutulong po kami sa tatlong municipalities na ito," he added.
As a graduate of medicine course, Garbo said he thinks that Mabalaquenos will only be protected from the virus if other neighboring areas also reached herd immunity.
People living in Mabalacat go to other places particularly the neighboring towns to work or visit their relatives, according to the mayor.
"Kahit may herd immunity ka na, vulnerable pa rin ang lahat ng mga naturukan mo because they have to go to Angeles, Porac. There are these people who are going in and out of Mabalacat. Even the residents of Mabalacat, they can go to their relatives up to Porac and other municipalities," Garbo said.