Chavit warns Narvacan residents: Get COVID-19 jabs or face restrictions

League of Municipalities of the Philippines President and Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Luis "Chavit" Singson on Saturday warned his unvaccinated constituents that they would be restricted in or prevented from entering town if they do not get inoculated against COVID-19.

"'Yung mga nagtatago kung ayaw, sabi namin hindi na sila makakapunta sa bayan pa o hindi na sila makalabas sa barangay, kung ayaw nilang magpabakuna. Lahat 'yon pang-counter namin sa ibang paniwala na ayaw pabakuna," Singson said at the Laging Handa briefing.

(For those who are hiding, we tell them they could no longer enter the town or they will be prohibited from leaving their barangays if they don't want to get vaccinated. These are our counter-responses to those who do not believe in vaccines.)

Singson however added that the Narvacan local government had convinced most of their residents to get their COVID-19 jabs.

"Pero meron naman, nakukumbinsi naman silang lahat na magpabakuna," Singson said.

(Some were convinced, convinced to get vaccinated.)

Narvacan officials have also been conducting house-to-house visits in barangays to convince individuals to get vaccinated.

"Information ang importante riyan sa ating mga kababayan na mas magandang mabakunahan, kasi kung tamaan sila grabe na. 'Pag nabakunahan sila tapos tinamaan sila, mas makakaligtas sila."

(Informing our constituents is important. Informing them that it's better to get vaccinated because if they get COVID-19, it's going to be bad. If they are vaccinated and they do get sick, it will be safer for them.)

Singson said local governments from the different municipalities around the country are preparing for the influx of foreign tourists in December.

Meanwhile, DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a text message that Singson's policy was within the mandate of a local chief executive based on Sec 16 of the Local Government Code.

"But we suggest that the unvaccinated may still be allowed provided they present a negative RT PCR test result," added Malaya.

The National Task Force Against COVID-19 and the National Vaccination Operations Center on Friday said they adjusted their target vaccination output for the three-day National Vaccination Days, eyeing 9 million jabs instead of 15 million.

This would mean a target of 3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per day during the "Bayanihan Bakunahan" from November 29 to December 1.

Meanwhile, the NTF and NVOC said another three-day National Vaccination Days will be held from December 15 to 17. — DVM, GMA News