Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 21) — Iloilo City Mayor Geronimo Treñas on Monday decried the strategy of the national government to focus its vaccination efforts on the so-called NCR+8 area, leaving other regions with spiking cases.
In a virtual briefing, Treñas said the national government must listen to local leaders as several cities outside the NCR+8 are now at a “critical” level.
“We are as affected as the people in NCR+8. The only way we can flatten the surge is we also flood LGUs (local government units) outside NCR+8 with vaccines. You did it in NCR+8, perhaps you should do it here,” he said in a virtual briefing.
The NCR+8 is composed of Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao.
READ: Vaccination of A4, A5 focused on NCR, 8 other areas for now – DOH
However, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque downplayed the statement of the Iloilo City mayor, stressing COVID-19 vaccine is not the sole solution to address surging cases.
Treñas noted that, so far, they have only inoculated 40,000—not even 10% of the city’s population.
“You can’t stop people from getting out now, people are out of jobs, they need money to buy food for their family. The only way we can stop the surge is for the national government to add more vaccines,” he added.
In a separate briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario stressed that the government has been supporting overwhelmed LGUs in their COVID-19 bout.
The public, he said, has to comply with the minimum health standards to dampen the virus’ blow.
“Ang solusyon po talaga ay mask, hugas, iwas,” Roque said during a Palace briefing.
“Kabahagi ng solusyon siyempre po ang bakuna, pero kumakalat pa rin po ang COVID, dahil hindi po sumusunod ang ating ilang mga kababayan doon sa pakiusap ng ating Presidente na mag-mask, hugas at iwas,” he also said.
[Translation: The solution is to wear a face mask, wash your hands, and do physical distancing. While the vaccine is part of the solution, COVID continues to spread because many Filipinos fail to follow the President’s directive to comply with the minimum health protocols.]
She assured that more vaccines will be provided to LGUs once the next deliveries arrive.
