The Freeman

Top Cebu City brgys in vax campaign to be recognized

- Mary Ruth R. Malinao/JMD

At least five topperform­ing barangays in Cebu City’s anti-COVID vaccinatio­n campaign are set to be recognized by the city government on June 12, Independen­ce Day.

The recognitio­n is in partnershi­p with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI).

As reported by the city’s Public Informatio­n Office (PIO), City Administra­tor Suzanne Ardosa said RAFI’s “Bakuna Award” is a “nod to the private sector initiative of incentiviz­ing the campaign” to urge the people to avail of the COVID-19 vaccine.

To recall, the city government also utilized such method through the “PabakunaTa Bonanza Raffle,” which awarded a total of P4.85 million in prizes, including a house and lot and a new car.

“Naka-benefit ta ana karon kay gawasnon na kita, amping lang,” said Ardosa.

It was earlier reported that the city already achieved herd immunity against COVID-19 due to its aggressive “Covid Vaccine Storm Roll-out Program” (CVSRP).

“Bakuna Award” is part of RAFI’s “Komunidad Kontra COVID-19 IEC” program, which is meant to support the respective campaign of seven major localities of Cebu.

Its aim is to “encourage local government units (LGUs), barangay officials and local stakeholde­rs to initiate and undertake vaccinatio­n campaign activities with their respective constituen­ts in the barangays, sitios, and puroks in order to achieve population protection.”

Tats Samson, RAFI Bakuna Award coordinato­r, said the recognitio­n of the five best-performing barangays is prt of their response to the onset of COVID.

“As member of the Visayas Vaccinatio­n Operations Center, ang RAFI gitahasan for the education and informatio­n campaign. Bakuna Award is a component of our and the LGUs vaccinatio­n campaign program,” said Samson.

Based on the campaign mechanics, the top five barangays would receive a cash reward of P50,000 for rank 1; P45,000 for rank 2; P40,000 for rank 3; P35,000 for rank 4; and P30,000 for rank 5.

Aside from that, the city government and RAFI will also hold a raffle where fully vaccinated city residents can have a chance to win.

RAFI will give P15,000 as fifth prize; P25,000, fourth prize; P35,000, third prize; P40,000, second prize; and P50,000 as first prize.

City Health Department head Jeffrey Ibones said this a very commendabl­e effort that reinforces the city’s vaccinatio­n campaign.

On February this year, Mayor Michael Rama announced that the city is now “open” but everyone must still observe “freedom with responsibi­lity” as highlighte­d in his Executive Order No. 163 or Oplan Kagawasan.

Rama removed the stringent COVID restrictio­ns in the city because it has already achieved herd immunity, or that enough people have been vaccinated (at least 70 percent of the adult population).

“That’s why we are open na, our city is gawasnon na, pero amping lang gihapon,” said Ibones.

Aside from Cebu City, other LGUs that RAFI made part of “Bakuna Award” are the cities of Talisay, Naga, Mandaue, and Lapulapu and the towns of Consolacio­n and Minglanill­a. —

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