LGUs liable for wasted COVID-19 vaccines

CEBU, Philippines —  Local government units (LGU) will be held liable for unused and expired COVID-19 vaccines, says Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año.

“Atin pong kakasuhan ang mga concerned LGUs kapag mayroon pong nasayang o nag-expire na mga bakuna,” Año said during President Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘Talk to the People’.

In Cebu City, Acting Mayor Michael Rama said he is against the pronouncement. He said DILG should be more sensitive as there are LGUs that are not as aggressive as Cebu City, for example.

“We have to be given the benefit of the doubt and the presumption of innocence because that is very much protected by the constitution and the rule of law. Unless na gyud ma-proven nga naa gyud ang ginganlan nato like kuwang sa initiative unya wala gyud ni-exert og effort, then maybe something has to be done, but ayaw sad ng i-penalize… ayaw sad,” Rama said.

But DILG must call the attention of the LGU, he said.

“E-call lang ang attention unya i-monitor pag-ayo unya ang mga vaccine nga ma-expire na, kuhaon na to daan before mang-expire ug ipanghatag ngadto sa mga LGUs nga nagkinahanglan pag vaccines,” Rama said.

Año also said during the ‘Talk to the People’ that he met with mayors and governors on Friday, October 22, and discussed ways to be more aggressive and creation in their vaccination campaign.

“Tulad din po ng utos ninyo, atin pong pinulong ang ating mga mayors and governors nung nakaraang Byernes... at ngayon po ay todo bakuna na tayo,” Año told Duterte.

While the country’s czar had adjusted this year’s target, from achieving herd immunity to vaccinating at least half of the country’s total population, the DILG is bent on vaccinating 70 percent of the eligible population by the end of 2021.

“Ang atin pong layunin ay ma-attain ang 70 percent na first dose ng eligible population by November 30 at 70 percent ng eligible population ang fully vaccinated by December 31, 2021,” Año said.

Vaccine supply to LGUs has already been ensured and LGUs have been told not to procure their own vaccines anymore.

In the case of Cebu City, aggressive vaccination means bringing the vaccines to the doorstep of residents, especially in densely populated areas, and setting up of pop-up sites on top of the existing vaccination sites.

Acting Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros is also coordinating with schools that are members of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) for the vaccination of student-athletes.

The city has also readied a master list of minors ages 12 to 17 who can be given the COVID vaccine. At least 7,000 are eligible.

The IATF is yet to decide on the vaccination of the pediatric population.

Other Priorities

Año said DILG is making sure that all LGUs follow the directives from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases(IATF-MEID), including the implementation and monitoring of minimum health standards and quarantine protocols.

“Sinigurado ng kagawaran na umaayon ang bawat LGU sa mga direktiba ng IATF kasama dito ang pagsunod sa mga minimum health standards at community quarantine protocols,” he told Duterte.

LGUs were also tasked to form their own contact tracing team. Contact tracing has been considered a “game-changer” in the prevention and control of COVID-19 transmission in the country.

“Inatasan din natin ang mga LGUs na magbuo ng kani-kanilang contact tracing teams… Para na rin sa pag-roll out ng stay safe application,” Año said.

DILG is also making sure that LGUs have their own isolation facilities and initiatives for the continued support and care for COVID-19 patients as the economy reopens.

“Sinugarado din po natin na bukas ang local na ekonomiya sa pamagitan ng pagbibigay ng Safety Seal Certification sa mga establishments at sa mga local na pamahalaan pati na rin ang pagpapabilis ng pagbabakuna ng mga LGUs sa kanilang mga nasasakupan,” he said.

He acknowledged the support of the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Prevention, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology for being in the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, including in the vaccination rollout. — JMO (FREEMAN)