Some 5,000 market vendors have been inoculated as the Vaccine Cluster of the Davao City COVID-19 Task Force ramps up its vaccination rollout to the different sectors of society. The city has reached 25.46 % of its target for full vaccination to herd immunity as of August 21, 2021.
Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, during her 87.5 Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) program aired on Monday, August 23, said, “Nabuhat nato ang pilot nato sa (We piloted a vaccination rollout at the) Mintal Public Market. Ang (The) next natong target is the Bankerohan Public Market.”
She said that since the vaccination is free, no fees shall be collected. The mayor issued this statement after reports reached her office that a P120 collection was being made at Bankerohan Public Market from those who wanted to be vaccinated.
Mayor Duterte said the reported collection, which was intended for `pamainit’ or snacks, was investigated and addressed.
“We found out nga diri sya sa city government side ang problema (that the problem is in the city government side). We reminded ang city government employees nga bawal na mangayo og kwarta sa mga tawo (our city government employees that it is prohibited to ask money from people) because that is graft and corruption And wala pud gyud tay ingon ana nga policy nga kung magbakuna, mangolekta ta og pamainit or pang merienda bawal na sya sa atoa (We don’t have that kind of policy that when one wants to get vaccinated, we collect money for snacks, that is prohibited),” she explained.
The mayor said regardless of the amount, any vaccination collection by a city government employee is forbidden.
She added, “Wala sila kasabot nga maski gamay nga kwarta na sya bawal na sya nga mangayo ka o mudawat ka. It becomes a deterrent sa mga tawo na dili nalang magpabakuna tungod kinahanglan sya magbayad og P120 when in fact wala jud na syay bayad ang pagbakuna. Libre na courtesy of the government (They don’t understand that even a small amount of money is prohibited when you ask for it or accept it. It becomes a deterrent to people and they might no longer want to be inoculated as they would need to pay P120 when in fact, vaccination has no cost. It is free courtesy of the government).”
Mayor Duterte said that the city has already administered 507,032 first doses, which is 42.25%, and 305,553 second doses or 25.46% fully immunized individuals.
The Vaccine Cluster reported that of the 507,032 who received their first dose jabs, at least 54,884 were from priority A1 (healthcare workers); 85,243 from A2 (senior citizens); 148,215 from A3 (persons with comorbidities); 194,862 from A4 (essential workers), and 23,862 from A5 (indigents/poor population).
Meanwhile, the number of fully vaccinated individuals in A1 reached 43,597; 80,208 in A2; 112,001 in A3; 62,785 in A4; and 6,962 in A5.
“We already reiterated our instruction to the Vaccine Cluster to ramp up our vaccination so that mahuman nato ang atoang (we can finish our) first doses before the end of this year. Ang problemahon nalang nato ang pagpangita, pag-remind sa mga tawo sa ilahang second dose og pipila nga wala pay mga first dose (We can then just go after and remind people on their second doses and others who still don’t have their first doses),” the city’s chief executive said.
Another vaccination hub in Daliao, Toril has been opened to cater to more vaccinees. From the target of 10,000 first doses daily, the mayor said they raised the target to 15,000. However, she said there were times that the new daily target is not met. CIO
