Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo “Along” Malapitan ordered Barangay officials to encourage their constituents to get their booster shots as part of the national government’s ‘Pinas Lakas’ campaign.
According to the Mayor, the city aims to protect its citizens, especially the vulnerable sectors and immunocompromised individuals against the threat of COVID-19.
“Inaatasan natin ang ating mga opisyales ng bawat Barangay sa Caloocan na pangunahan ang paghihikayat sa inyong nasasakupan na magpa-booster at ipaalam din sa kanila ang benepisyo nito sa kanilang kalusugan,” he said.
“Alinsunod sa Pinas Lakas campaign, palalawakin natin ang bilang ng mga taga-Caloocan na bakunado, lalo na ang ating mga senior citizens, PWDs at mga kababayan na mayroong karamdaman upang maprotektahan sila sa banta ng COVID-19,” Mayor Along added.
The City Health Department (CHD) shall follow a settings-based approach in line with the said campaign, with vaccination drives at different offices, schools, public plazas, churches, markets, malls, and terminals.
CHD Officer-in-charge Dra. Evelyn Cuevas stated that by bringing vaccines to proximity with communities, the process shall be more efficient, encouraging more people to be inoculated.
“Sa paglalapit nating ng serbisyong medikal tulad ng pagbabakuna sa mga komunidad, inaasahan natin na mas mapapabilis ang proseso at mas marami ang magpapabakuna dahil tayo na mismo ang bababa sa mga Barangay at mga establisyimento,” she said.
In line with this, the Mayor also participated with Caloocan Barangay officials in the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) online consultation on booster vaccination to discuss best practices and the statuses of respective communities regarding vaccine awareness and feasible areas to be converted to mass vaccination sites.