50% of target population in 14 provinces now fully vaxxed: DILG

MANILA – Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año has commended the local government units (LGUs) that exceeded their targets during the first “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” vaccination drive from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

This, as 14 of the 81 provinces achieved the full inoculation of 50 percent of their respective target population following the holding of the national vaccination drive.

“Out of 81 provinces, makikita po natin ay 14 na probinsiya na po ang nakapagtala ng 50 percent up fully vaccinated (We can see [from the slide] that 14 provinces registered 50 percent up fully vaccinated),” Año said in his report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the prerecorded Talk to the People aired Tuesday.

He said the 14 provinces are Abra, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Batanes, Quirino, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Siquijor, Biliran and Camiguin.

Año described the first national vaccination drive as a success after a total of 8,998,947 doses were administered during the three-day event.

Calabarzon (Region 4A), he said, has the most number of Covid-19 vaccines administered with 1,147,392 followed by Region 3 (Central Luzon) and 7 (Central Visayas) with 838,270 and 649,195 doses, respectively.

Ilocos Region topped the list of regions that exceeded their target, posting 322.66 percent accomplishment followed by the National Capital Region (172.23 percent) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (158.56 percent).

He said eight regions namely NCR, CAR, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, and the Davao Region had at least 40 percent of their intended targets fully inoculated.

He added that 70 percent of the target qualified persons in 23 highly urbanized areas received full vaccination with most of them coming from Metro Manila.

These highly urbanized areas include San Juan City, Mandaluyong City, Pateros, Las Piñas City, Parañaque City, Manila, Muntinlupa City, Makati City, Valenzuela City, Quezon City, Navotas City, Pasig City, Malabon City and Caloocan City in Metro Manila and Baguio City, Angeles City, Iloilo City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Davao City in the provinces.

“Binibigyan natin ng recognition at commendation ang mga LGUs po na nag-exceed at nagkaroon po ng magandang accomplishment nitong ating nakaraang National Vaccination Days (We give recognition and commendation to the LGUs that exceeded and had made good accomplishments during our past National Vaccination Days),” Año said.

He said the target in the next national vaccination drive on Dec. 15-17 is to increase the administration of second dose “to make them fully vaccinated.”

During the Laging Handa public briefing on Tuesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the government is aiming to complete the Covid-19 jabs of 7 million Filipinos from Dec. 15 to 17.

The total doses administered is 92,752,986 as of Dec. 6, while 38,699,023 have been fully vaccinated as shown in the Department of Health National Covid-19 vaccination dashboard.