More than 33 million people have, so far, registered with their local government units to get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019, thanks to joint government and private sector information and advocacy campaigns, including the creative ways devised by local officials, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said LGUs “are innovating and seem to be outperforming each other in encouraging their constituents to get jabbed through perks and incentives such as raffle prizes of motorcycles and even a house and lot for those who have had their doses”.
“Only through vaccination will we reach that certain level of population protection that will allow us to transition into the new normal and completely recover from the pandemic,” he said.
Año said he is pleased that the vaccine hesitancy is continuously decreasing as seen in the increasing number of people who have enlisted for vaccination.
“Instead of vaccine hesitancy, we would prefer vaccine envy among LGUs and the public so that they would be more motivated to increase their vaccination efforts,” he said.
RAFFLES, FREEBIES
Año cited the raffle scheme of Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, with vaccinated persons having a chance to win motorcycles and a house and lot.
He also lauded the initiative of Santa, Ilocos Sur Mayor Jesus Bueno Jr., who likewise offered a house and lot to vaccinated locals.
Some LGUs in Abra offer drive-thru vaccination, fast lanes for persons with disabilities, fever medicines, free rides to the vaccination sites, free meals, and snacks.
In Davao Region, malls were tapped as vaccination sites in the cities of Davao and Tagum and free transportation was provided.
The LGUs of Puerto Princesa City, Bacolod City, Lala and Tubod in Lanao del Norte, and Binuangan, Misamis Oriental also provided free transport to senior citizens and other vaccinees.
Senior citizens who got jabbed were also given P500 each in Puerto Princesa City.
Malabon City used e-trikes as a transport service for vaccinees, Manila provided home vaccination to bedridden citizens, and Bacoor in Cavite inoculates senior citizens at home.
Muntinlupa City conducts vaccination for residents of a nursing home and the Quezon City government was the first to offer night vaccination for workers who cannot miss work at daytime.
PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVES
Año said the private sector, through the Task Force T3s (Test, Trace and Treat) Smart Bakuna Benefits Program, have been very helpful in scaling up the national vaccination program.
Task Force T3 has partnered with close to 200 private establishments to offer discounts and exclusive freebies to those who have received their shots.
Through the T3s initiative, customers just need to present their original Covid-19 vaccination card and a valid identification to participating restaurants in the National Capital Region, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan (NCR Plus) in order to avail of exclusive offers like free meals, drink upsizes, discounts, or buy one, get one promo.
Taskforce T3 is a multi-sectoral public-private consortium of companies and organizations working closely with the National Task Force Against Covid-19 and the Inter-Agency Task Force.*PR
