LGUS’ ROLE DEEMED ‘CRUCIAL’ IN COVID-19 VACCINE ROLLOUT
AS the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urges local government units (LGUS) to prepare local vaccination plans, Former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano underscored the crucial role of LGUS, including local health workers in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.
Preparing vaccination plans is mandated by the Department of Health (DOH) guidelines on the National Vaccination Program. Here, LGUS are to coordinate closely with their respective Doh-centers for Health Development in preparing this plan, said DILG Undersecretary and Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya in a statement.
The DILG has issued Memorandum No. 2021-007 directing LGUS to craft a vaccination plan that contains the preparations of risk communication plans and conduct of early Vaccine Communication Campaign to disseminate crucialinformationoncovid-19vaccination.
The plan must also include a master list of priority eligible vaccinee population; identification of possible vaccine centers, available cold chain storages, and other logistical requirements; and a master list of existing human resources and personnel needed in the vaccination program.
Cayetano, who donated grocery packs, rice and cash to barangay health workers during a simple ceremony attended by local officials at the covered court of Barangay Pinagtipunan in General Trias, Cavite, said the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) must be able to depend on LGUS.
“They [LGUS] are really the key if they set a good example and lay down a good system. As I see it, the IATF will rely heavily on LGUS. So the LGUS just have to fund the 4th class, 5th class at 6th class municipalities because even if they have good workers, if they have no funds [that’s still a problem],”he told reporters in a chance interview during the event.
Cayetano also underscored the need to implement for better contract-tracing which he said was in the Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2 law but was not immediately implemented.
He added that implementing a “third wave” of financial aid is “of great importance” to help those who lost their jobs and until now have yet to find an alternative source of income, particularly those in the informal sector.
Cayetano, accompanied by his wife, Taguig Rep. Lani Cayetano, was joined by his some of his colleagues in Congress from the Province of Cavite namely, 3rd District Representative Alex Advincula, 6th District Rep. Luis Ferrer IV, and 1st District Representative Francis Gerard A. Abaya.
Mayor Antonio A. Ferrer of General Trias thanked the Cayetanos for the support.
According to Cayetano, conducting the nationwide vaccination to fight Covid-19 is of utmost importance especially because even some health workers themselves are wary about being vaccinated.
He earlier urged some 60 barangay health workers in General Trias who graced the turnover of the donation to“listen to the experts” on the issue the vaccination program.
“If the experts say the vaccines are safe and effective, then let’s use it,” he said, adding that barangay health workers should be the first to have themselves vaccinated as well for their own protection against Covid-19.