As more than 75% of metro’s population gets fully jabbed

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go praised the national government for its successful vaccine rollout so far, noting that 75% of the eligible population in the National Capital Region had been inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine doses.

“Kinokomendahan ko po ang ating gobyerno sa kanilang pagsisikap na mabakunahan ang mga Pilipino upang makamit na natin ang inaasam nating population protection tungo sa herd immunity. Dahil sa pagsisikap na ito, mahigit 75% na po ng populasyon ng NCR ang fully vaccinated laban sa COVID-19,” he said.

“Ang NCR ang sentro ng ating ekonomiya. Dito rin mataas ang kaso ng COVID-19 kung kaya’t napaka-importante na mapabilis ang pagbabakuna dito upang maproteksyunan ang buhay at pati kabuhayan ng mga Pilipino,” he added.

COVID-19 cases in the NCR are on the decline, according to the Department of Health. The DOH expects daily new cases to further decline to 1,100 by mid-November.

By the end of October, the government hopes to have fully vaccinated at least 85% of the eligible population in the NCR while expanding the rollout in the critical areas of Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, and Rizal.

“Bukod sa bakuna, sinisikap din nating maibalik ang sigla ng ekonomiya at mabigyan ng sapat na trabaho ang mga nawalan ng kabuhayan habang sinisiguro nating walang magugutom. Higit sa lahat, hindi natin pababayaan ang mga mahihirap. Sila po ang prayoridad natin dito, kapakanan nila ang ipinaglalaban ko rito,” he stressed.

The government began expanding the national immunization program to the general public at the beginning of October, in accordance with vaccination guidelines recommended by health experts.

According to Go, the President has approved the immunization of the broader public as more supplies of vaccines enter the country.

“Inaaasahang tataas pa lalo ang bilang ng mga bakuna sa susunod na mga buwan kung kaya’t bubuksan na rin ang ating vaccination program sa general population sa Oktubre upang mapabilis ang rollout at marating natin ang herd immunity sa lalong madaling panahon,” he previously said.

As of October 11, the country has administered 50,066,590 doses of COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 26,706,101 individuals have been fully vaccinated while 23,360,489 have received their single dose. The national daily jabs stands at 393,099 as of October 11.

Meanwhile, the country has received 87,690,960 vaccines as of October 11.

Go emphasized that the more Filipinos get vaccinated, the faster the country can return to normalcy.

“At kung patuloy na bababa ang bilang ng nagkakasakit at tataas naman ang bilang ng bakunado, mas mabilis po nating maibabangon ang ating ekonomiya at mas makakabalik po tayo sa normal na pamumuhay pagdating ng panahon,” he said.

Go also asked authorities to pursue providing incentives for fully vaccinated individuals in order to encourage others to overcome their hesitations.

“Pag-aralan rin po dapat nang mabuti ang pagbibigay ng insentibo sa mga bakunado tulad ng mas maluwag na mga patakaran. Maaaring pwede na sila kumain at pumasyal sa labas, makatrabaho, at makagalaw nang wala masyadong restrictions,” he said.

“Para rin po ma-enganyo at tumaas ang vaccine confidence. ‘Yung mga pribadong sektor, may sarili ring mga inisyatibo tulad ng pagbibigay ng discounts. Welcome po ang lahat ng ito,” he added.

Throughout the pandemic, Go successfully appealed for the inclusion of various groups in the vaccine priority group, such as athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics, overseas Filipino workers and Professional Regulation Commission personnel handling the licensure examinations.

“Ang bakuna ang pinakamabisang paraan upang maproteksyunan ang ating mga kababayan laban sa sakit na COVID-19. Kapag bakunado ang isang tao, mas maliit ang tsansa na siya ay malubhang magkakasakit o maoospital. Kaya para mabawasan ang bilang ng mga malubhang kaso ay ginagawa ng ating gobyerno ang lahat upang matiyak na may sapat na supply ng ligtas at epektibong bakuna para sa mga Pilipino,” Go assured.

“Kung pagkakataon n’yo nang makapagpabakuna, huwag nang mag-alinlangan pa! Libre naman po ang bakuna para sa mga Pilipino. Pinaghirapan natin ito upang maproteksyunan ang populasyon, marating ang herd immunity, at walang naiwan sa ating muling pagbangon,” he appealed.

Despite filing his candidacy for Vice President for the upcoming national elections, Go stressed that his focus remains on fulfilling his mandate as a senator and in ensuring that no Filipino will be left behind towards recovery amid the ongoing health crisis.

“Tulad ng aking sinasabi noon, bakuna muna bago pulitika! Unahin nating malampasan ang pandemya para mabigyan ng tunay na pag-asa ang ating mga kababayan dahil kung hindi natin malalampasan ang krisis na ito, baka wala na tayong pulitikang pag-uusapan pa,” Go reiterated.