SECRETARY ANDANAR: WITH MORE ACCESSIBLE COVID-19 VACCINES, ROAD TO RECOVERY IS AT HAND

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Monday is confident that with more vaccines coming in the country and with the initiated Vaccination Drive starting today, the Philippines is on its road to recovery from the illeffects of the pandemic. Secretary Andanar joined the ceremonial launching of the 3-day Bakunahan Bayanihan National Vaccination Drive at the compound of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.

During his speech, Secretary Andanar praised the unrelenting efforts of frontliners on facing the COVID-19 pandemic. The activity is part of the commemoration of Bonifacio Day and an initiative to inspire volunteerism among Filipinos to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Indeed, they have taken their duty and obligation seriously and fervently served during this pandemic, and all of us who have benefited from it have our own responsibility to ensure that we help protect each other in our own way. A way to make a sizable contribution to this collective effort is by participating in our national COVID-19 vaccination program. ,” he said.

The said activity is a nationwide simultaneous event which aims to administer 9 million jabs across the country and scale up the vaccination output of local government units from November 29 to December 1, 2021.

According to data from DOH-10, 36 percent of Northern Mindanao’s 3.5 million vaccine eligible population are now fully immunized, while 63 percent of the population have already received their first dose.

Secretary Andanar noted that through this initiative, the Duterte Administration has demonstrated its firm commitment to bring public service, especially the COVID-19 vaccines closer to all Filipinos.

“The Duterte administration has successfully made vaccinations available and closer to each one of us, and all of us should take that responsibility not only for our own safety, but also that of our loved ones, neighbors, and the frontliners, who made these initiatives possible,” said.

“With our national vaccination program, we have seen its positive impacts not only in saving lives, such as experiencing lower COVID-19 positivity rate recently, but also restarting our economy, such as seeing at least 7% in GDP growth for the 3rd quarter of this year, and all other aspects of our nation that have greatly been impacted by this virus,” he added.

Present during the event to show the support of their respective offices were Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno, Department of Health (DOH-10) Regional Director Jose Llacuna, Jr, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA-10) Regional Director Mylah Faye Cariño, Office of the Civil Defense (OCD10) Regional Director Antonio Sugarol, and Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro representative Rev. Coke Daryl Prieto.

The activity is pursuant to Proclamation No. 1253, which formally declared November 29 to December 1 this year as “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” National Covid-19 Vaccination Days.

All government agencies under the executive branch are encouraged to actively participate and provide necessary support and assistance to the DOH and the DILG. The local government units are also mandated to mobilize their resources, stakeholders, health human resources and constituents within their jurisdiction for their respective vaccination efforts.