MANILA – Local chief executives (LCEs) have moved on the A1 priority list of the country’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination drive, according to the Malacañang.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Monday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) approved the inclusion of the mayors and governors under “A1.5.”
“They may not be doctors but they’re equally frontliners dahil lahat ng istratehiya natin ang humaharap po ang mga lokal na opsiyales, si mayor at governor,” Roque said in a virtual press briefing.
The IATF-EID acted on the appeal of the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), which pushed for the prioritization of the LCEs since they head the Local Health Board and chair the Local Task Force Against COVID-19.
“Such a move recognizes the important role of LCEs in the success of the country’s vaccination program. We commit to reciprocate the trust and confidence of the IATF to city mayors with more active and responsive vaccination efforts in our respective localities,” said LCP national president and Bacolod City mayor Evelio Leonardia.
He added that the group had been lobbying for priority vaccination of city mayors and governors since the start of the vaccination drive.
The mayor and governors were originally under the A4 group along with frontline personnel in essential sectors including uniformed personnel and those in working sectors identified as essential during enhanced community quarantine.
If the government prioritization program is to be followed, A4 will only receive COVID-19 vaccines after frontline health workers (A1), indigent senior citizens (A2), and the remaining senior citizens and persons with comorbidities (A3).
Before, the IATF-EID has approved the vaccination of mayors and governors in areas that are critical or high-risk for COVID-19 infections ahead of their scheduled priority./PN
