Take the jab, maybe win a cow

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — The mayor of San Luis town in this province is encouraging vaccination against COVID-19 by raffling off a cow every month for his constituents who take the jab.

Mayor Jayson Sagum announced that San Luis residents who get themselves vaccinated stand to win a live cow to be raffled off every month starting September this year until August 2022 under his “Baka para sa Bakuna” program.

“This is one of our ways to encourage more residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19,” said the mayor, who suggested that the winning residents may opt to butcher the cow, sell its meat or share it with relatives and neighbors.

He said the local government’s goal is to achieve a 100-percent vaccination rate among residents and be declared a COVID-free municipality.

Entry into the raffle only requires a resident’s vaccination card which is issued after inoculation. Sagum said the funds for the program will not come from the local government, but sourced from private donors.

In a related development, Barangay Sucat in Muntinlupa City is also rewarding residents for taking the anti-COVID-19 shot.

Barangay chairman Raffy Sevilla said 20 vaccinees could win a 25-kilogram sack of rice each in a raffle after being inoculated.

Sevilla said it is a “gesture to thank the residents for their cooperation in the government’s vaccination program.”

Meanwhile, an official thought of tapping so-called influencers to entice more people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease.

“We’ll need influencers to discuss these things, PBA (Philippine Basketball Association) and national athletes could help here,” Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos told ANC yesterday.

Abalos said he could propose this before the Metro Manila Council, following his recent meeting with PBA officials to discuss the possible setting up of bubbles in the metropolis for the training of basketball players. – Ghio Ong