8.9 M residents in MM fully vaxxed

The government has fully vaccinated at least 8.9 million Metro Manila residents or 91 percent of the target population in the region, the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 reported yesterday.

NTF chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said local government units (LGUs) in the Metro Manila would be able to fully vaccinate their target population, including minors aged 12 to 17 before the end of the year.

Galvez said about 102.86 percent of the target population in the National Capital Region (NCR) had received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccines as of Wednesday.

Metro Manila, the country’s economic center, has a population of more than 12 million.

Kezia Rosario of the National Vaccination Operations Center secretariat said the 100 percent coverage refers to the initial target of inoculating 70 percent of the total population.

Rosario said the vaccination in the NCR would continue to ensure that other sectors would also receive COVID-19 jabs.

Metro Manila has received the biggest deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines, with over 20.23 million doses deployed to LGUs as of Monday.

“Our next goal is to start the resumption of in-person classes to protect our children’s future and development. We need to vaccinate our students and teachers before the year ends,” Galvez said.

3-day vaccination

Rosario said 170,000 to 200,000 vaccinators would be deployed during the three-day national vaccination drive to be held from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

She said all sectors would be mobilized to achieve the goal of vaccinating 15 million Filipinos in three days.

“That is why doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and medical technologists will be mobilized by their societies,” Rosario said.

About 33,000 vaccination teams would be deployed and some 11,000 inoculation sites would be established during the three-day event.

Rosario said walk-ins should not be deprived of the opportunity to get vaccinated.

“So as simple as a valid ID will do. We won’t require several requirements, except those that are necessary such as medical certificates,” Rosario said.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque urged the public to wait for Malacañang’s announcement on whether Nov. 29 and Dec. 1 would be declared holidays. Nov. 30, the second day of the vaccination drive, is a holiday.

P45 B for booster shots

Meanwhile, Galvez thanked the Senate committee on finance for backing the proposal to use P45 billion in unprogrammed appropriations for the procurement of booster shots next year.

During the Senate’s hearing on Wednesday on the 2022 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), committee chairman Sen. Sonny Angara said vaccine procurement remains a top priority.

In the Senate version of the 2022 GAB sponsored by Angara, P61 billion has been allocated for vaccine procurement, including the P45 billion in unprogrammed funds and P16.245 billion in programmed appropriations under the health department.

“I extend our gratitude to Senator Angara for supporting the proposal to utilize unprogrammed funds for vaccine procurement. This will boost our national immunization program,” Galvez said.

The vaccine czar has confirmed that the government started negotiations with different multilateral partners that can provide funding to finance the procurement of booster shots for 2022.

During the Senate hearing, Galvez reported that the government had procured some 20 million doses of booster shots using savings from this year’s national budget.

The Philippines has so far secured 197 million vaccine doses amounting to P80.34 billion.