Gov't to focus Bayanihan, Bakunahan III extension in BARMM, far-flung areas

The government will focus the COVID-19 inoculation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and several “inaccessible areas” during the extension of the third wave of its mass vaccination drive, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Sunday.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año pointed out that the vaccination rate is lowest in BARMM among all regions in the country.

“Unang una talaga ‘yung pinakamababa nating rehiyon diyan ‘yung BARMM. Talagang nasa 30% pa lang, so malaki pa dapat ‘yung hahabulin,” he said.

(First of all, our lowest region in terms of vaccination is the BARMM. It's really only 30%, so there's still a lot to vaccinate in there.)

During the third “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” mass vaccination drive, Año added that local government units, as well as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), need to to work together to bring the vaccine doses in far-flung areas in provinces.

“‘Yung mga malalayong lugar na mga probinsya na kailangan talagang tutukan kasi karamihan sa kanila mga nakatira sa tinatawag nating bulubundukin at mga laylayan. So kailangang ipaabot natin, ilapit talaga doon ‘yung mga vaccination site,” he said.

(There are remote provinces that also need to be focused on because most of the people there live in mountains and slopes. So we need to bring the vaccines there and establish vaccination sites in those areas.)

Aside from the geographical location, Año explained that factors that resulted in the low vaccination drive in these areas include the conflicting work schedule of residents. Some of them are also not tech-savvy which makes it difficult to register online, he added.

However, Año assured that walk-ins are accepted at vaccination sites.

The Bayanihan, Bakunahan III, originally scheduled from February 10 to 11, was extended to February 18.

A total of 1.3 million individuals were vaccinated during the first two days of the third national inoculation drive, which was still short of the government’s five million target.

Año noted that about 33 to 34 million Filipinos, including children aged 5 to 11, are not yet inoculated against COVID-19.

In Metro Manila alone, he said that there are around 40,000 senior citizens and persons with comorbidities who are not yet vaccinated.

“Kailangan ay mahanap nating itong mga kababayan na ‘to para siguradong safe na safe talaga sila kasi kahit anong variant, ‘pag dumadating sa 'tin, ang kawawa dito ang mga seniors at may comorbidities. They need not only the primary [doses], pati booster,” he added.

(We need to find these people to make sure that they are really safe because no matter what variant that enters the country, the seniors and those with comorbidities are at risk. They need not only the primary doses, but also the boosters.)

At present, a total of 60.6 million Filipinos have received one dose, 60 million have been fully vaccinated, and 8 million have received booster shots, government data showed. —KG, GMA News