By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the League of Provinces of the Philippines asked the national government to give more attention to the provinces in the distribution of vaccines against COVID-19.
The LPP noted that Metro Manila is almost 85 percent vaccinated.
Lacson noted that most of new cases in the country are no longer concentrated in Metro Manila as regions are now contributing to the uptick in cases.
Lacson said that more vaccines should be rolled out now to the provinces, following the strategy applied to the National Capital Region before, which was given priority in the distribution of the jabs.
“Now that cases have further spread in other regions, they should follow the same strategy employed at NCR, by giving more vaccines, especially in Region 6, ” he said.
Lacson said that in a few weeks’ time, Negros Occidental will hit 18 percent of the target 70 percent population to reach herd immunity from COVID-19.
He admitted though that it is still “very slow”, since the focus of vaccination is still on Metro Manila.
On September 24, the Negros Occidental and Bacolod City received 108,450 doses of Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines.
Negros Occidental got 62,200 doses, while Bacolod City received 46,250 doses.
Lacson said the doses are sent to local government units right after receiving them but they are even asking for more.
