A TOTAL of 44,589 out of 48,537 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in prison facilities under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) have received their COVID-19 vaccine.

This was revealed by BuCor on Sunday, adding prison officials are eyeing a 100 percent-vaccine rate of PDLs early next year.

Of the 44,589 inoculated PDLs, 24,911 got their first dose while 19,678 are fully-vaccinated, BuCor said in a statement.

The seven BuCor prison facilities are the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City, Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Occidental Mindoro, Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte, the Leyte Regional Prison in Southern Leyte, San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City, and Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan.

BuCor is an attached agency of the Department of Justice. Under the law, the DOJ has administrative supervision over BuCor.

Last month, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said vulnerable PDLs were included in the three-day national COVID-19 vaccination drive, which wws held November 29 to December 1, 2021.

According to Guevarra, National Task Force Against COVID-19 and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. has agreed to include vulnerable PDLs during the mass vaccination drive dubbed “Bayanihan Bakunahan.”

“I had the chance to talk in person with Sec. Galvez last night and plead for the vaccination of all vulnerable PDLs in BUCOR (Bureau of Corrections) facilities all over the country. Ever the compassionate man that he is, Sec. Galvez gave me his assurance that my request will be granted, ” Guevarra said.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Hector Lawas