Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo on Monday appealed to judiciary officials and employees to avail themselves and members of their families of the government’s free vaccination against COVID-19.
Speaking during the launch of the PinasLakas Vaccination Drive at the Supreme Court, Gesmundo thanked the Department of Health (DOH) and to the Manila City government “for their tireless support for the Judiciary’s drive to vaccinate its employees and their families.”
Also present during the launching of the PinasLakas Vaccination Drive, include DOH Officer-in-Charge Dr. Maria Rosario Singh Vergeire and Manila City Mayor Maria Sheilah “Honey” Lacuna-Pangan.
“With the help once again of the national and local governments, we have extended our vaccination and booster drives to not just our employees alone, but to their families and household members as well. Truly, our continuing coordination and cooperation with these two entities have proved vital to the fulfilment of our duties in this time of crisis,” Gesmundo stressed.
“To be sure, more than ever, we need a sense of oneness, a sense of nationhood, a sense of common good, for in the difficulties that lie ahead, we know that we cannot triumph individually. We can only prevail as a whole, as one nation dedicated towards a common goal, the public welfare.”
Vergeire also thanked the judiciary “for joining the call to expand vaccination coverage through participation in the PinasLakas.”
PinasLakas, which was launched nationwide last July 26, is the stronger nationwide booster vaccination campaign of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his first 100 days in office.
Dr. Vergeire said that the government is “bringing vaccine closer to the people” through the simultaneous launch of its vaccination drive with DOH Centers for Health Development (CHDs) in the country’s regional centers.
In coordination with local government units (LGUs), Vergeire said the launch sites include schools, malls, markets, plazas, workplace, and places of worship where people can walk in to get their COVID-19 booster shots.
Citing records, Vergeire said that 96 percent of the SC’s employees are already fully vaccinated, or have received the second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series; 92 percent have had their first booster shots; and 51.2 percent have already received their second booster shots.
For her part, Lacuna-Pangan reaffirmed the local government’s support to the national government to vaccinate as many citizens as possible.
She said the Manila City’s free vaccination is not only limited to its residents but, with its “open-policy,” is also offered to all citizens in the six hospitals being run by the Manila local government.
Also joining the launch of the PinasLakas were SC Justices Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Samuel H. Gaerlan, Ricardo R. Rosario, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Japar B. Dimaampao, Jose Midas P. Marquez, and Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh.
Judicial Integrity Board Vice Chairperson (Ret.) Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Remedios A. Salazar-Fernando, DOH OIC Undersecretary Dr. Beverly Lorraine C. Ho, DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Nestor F. Santiago, and several SC officials were also in attendance.