Isko scraps vax by schedule, says it’s ineffective

MANILA – The city government of Manila reverted to the first come, first served process in its vaccination program on Tuesday after trying the scheduling system for one day, citing low turnout.

In his regular Facebook Live update late Monday, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said that he tried to listen to numerous complaints and suggestions for scheduled vaccination but he said the no walk-in policy was a failure.

“We tried to listen to you, to some, ‘yung mga nagre-request na kung pwede scheduling system at walang walk-in. Kanina inimplement natin ‘yung no walk-in policy at scheduling system. We have shown you today, palpak talaga. Pangalawang beses na ‘yan (those who are requesting for the scheduling system and no walk-in. Today we implemented the no walk-in policy and the scheduling system. We have shown you today, it does not work. That is the second time),” he said.

He claimed the Manila Health Department texted 28,000 individuals on Sunday, “inviting” them to come over to the vaccination sites nearest them the following day.

However, only 4,402 were at jabs sites as of 4:20 p.m. on Monday, Domagoso lamented.

He event went to a vaccination site in an Ermita mall and allowed those without schedules to be inoculated.

Prior to the one-day trial of the no walk-in policy, Manila has been averaging 25,000 to 28,000 vaccinees per day.

But the city government received numerous complaints, citing long queues as early as the night before and skipping lines with the aid of City Hall and barangay officials.

Domagoso countered those are “small sacrifices” that are needed to help achieve population protection.

“Our goal by September, ma-reach natin ‘yung 70 percent herd immunity and the only way to do it, achieve it, is the people and the government working hand in hand. Bilang sakripisyo ng mamamayan dahil sa mahabang pila, ganun din ang pamahalaan. Kanya kanyang sakripisyo lang (is for us to reach 70 percent herd immunity and the only way to do it is if the people and government work hand in hand. Everyone has to make some sacrifices). What matters most at the end of the day is the goal, to vaccinate as many as possible,” Domagoso said.