ILOILO City – Three hundred fifty police personnel of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) received their first dose of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine at the University of San Agustin gymnasium yesterday.
The China-made Sinovac vaccines were allocated by the city government for the ICPO personnel under the A4 category, according to ICPO director, Police Colonel Uldarico Garbanzos.
Garbanzos also got his first dose. He said due to limited slots, the ICPO adopted a vaccine prioritization for police personnel.
All personnel with comorbidities or immunocompromised, jailers, police contact tracers, station health desk officers, personnel detailed at quarantine facilities, investigators, ICPO staff members, and station commanders were put first in queue.
“We have 440 personnel yet to be vaccinated. We are thankful to our good mayor Jerry Treñas for including us. May pambato na kita sa COVID-19 while performing our duties as frontliners,” Garbanzos said.
Policemen are among the most vulnerable sectors of the community in the fight against the COVID-19 virus, he stressed.
“Police are working in the field to ensure all health and safety protocols are being followed. So once again I’m appealing to the public to wear your facemasks all the time and observe social distancing. Permi naton ini nasulit sulit pero damo tig-a ulo,” Garbanzos lamented./PN