BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
With the increase of National Tax Allocation for Negros Occidental, which already included the proposed P5.7 billion budget of the province for 2022, the provincial government is eyeing the giving of incentives to barangays that perform well in the COVID-19 vaccination program, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday said.
Lacson, who led yesterday the distribution of financial assistance of P300,000 each to 28 more barangays in Negros Occidental, at the Provincial Capitol lobby in Bacolod City, urged the barangay captains create a demand for vaccination in their respective communities, and not depend on local chief executives in the campaign for inoculation.
It is only when you have willing constituents that you can create a demand, the governor told the barangay captains.
Lacson also said that he will leave it to local chief executives to decide whether or not they will also give incentives to their barangays who will perform well in vaccination activities.
He clarified that the P300,000 financial assistance extended by the provincial government to each of the 601 Negros Occidental barangays is being done every year, where there is a total of P900,000 assistance they are entitled to receive for three years.
The Department of Health-Western Visayas noted a low vaccine turnout in the province, which is being blamed by Lacson on inoculation hesitancy because of misinformation and fake news being spread, even by some individuals affiliated to some religious denominations.
Targeting 100,000 persons to be vaccinated a week, Lacson said they are aiming to achieve a herd immunity by February next year, and not by December this year, as set by the Department of Health.
Of the P1.8 million targeted for vaccination in Negros Occidental, a report of the Department of Health – Western Visayas shows that 407,333 are fully vaccinated, which is equivalent to 22.32 percent, with 111, 065, or 6.08 percent, having received one dose of the vaccine.
Negros Occidental ranked number one among Western Visayas provinces with highest number of persons to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity in the fight against COVID-19.
Provincial Consultant Alfredo “Albee” Benitez yesterday stressed the need to double the efforts in the vaccination campaign, stressing that the provincial government is now helping out Bacolod City in accommodating walk-in vaccinees at the Provincial Capitol Negros Residences.
In his visits to the different barangays in Bacolod City, Benitez said he observed that many are still afraid to be vaccinated.*
