PIA-7, DOH, DILG hold Resbakuna Town Hall in City of Naga, Cebu

CEBU, May 12 (PIA) -- The Philippine Information Agency Central Visayas (PIA-7), Department of Health in Central Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH CVCHD), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG-7) held the third Resbakuna Town Hall on COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Plan on May 11, 2021 in the City of Naga, Cebu.

Philippine Information Agency-7 Regional Head Fayette Riñen (standing) speaking during the Resbakuna Town Hall on May 11, 2021 in the City of Naga. She encouraged the barangay captains and health workers to help disseminate the correct information on COVID-19 vaccines to increase the uptake of the vaccines among residents in their communities. (hbz/PIA7)

The PIA in partnership with the DOH CVCHD conceptualized the Resbakuna Town Hall to "explain, explain, explain" to the public at the grassroots level the COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Plan which aims to empower the barangays to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 by disseminating the right information to its residents and boost their confidence and uptake of vaccines.

Dr. Carmelino "Junjie" Cruz, Jr., representative of City Mayor to the City of Naga Task Force Against COVID-19, conveyed the message of Mayor Kristine Chiong who said, "It is with joy that I welcome everyone to this town hall on the nation's COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Plan. The City of Naga activated its vaccination operation center last March and has established two vaccination sites at the City Health Office and the Enan Chiong Activity Center. We had our first inoculation rollout of the city's healthcare workers using AstraZeneca vaccine last March 19 and SinoVac last March 23. As of May 10, we have vaccinated a total of 1,007 Nagahanons from the A1-A2 and A4 priority eligible groups, 366 of whom are healthcare workers."

"In this important part in history, Naga commits to be a competent and reliable partner of the national government in implementing the city's vaccination deployment plan in the most effective and efficient manner," he added.

PIA-7 Regional Head Fayette Riñen, one of the guest speakers, said that according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the City of Naga has a comprehensive system of masterlisting for the vaccination rollout which is a good initiative that could be replicated by the other local government units (LGUs).

"The efficient delivery of public services always begin with good planning. So we would like to congratulate the City of Naga nga gipangulohan sa atong maabtik nga mayor nga si (spearheaded by our mayor) Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong," Riñen added.

Dr. Shelbay Blanco, Medical Officer III and head of DOH-7 Health Emergency and Management Staff Unit, discussed the "COVID-19 Vaccine Program: 10 Must Knows for Everyone" which entailed the Demand Generation, Adverse Event Following Immunization, Role of LGUs, and the Prioritization List in the vaccination rollout.

He also reminded the participants to keep practicing the minimum public health standards by regularly wearing face mask and shield, hand washing, observing social distancing, and getting the information from credible sources.

For his part, DILG-7 Regional Director Leocardio Trovela said: "I am urging all barangay officials and members of the local vaccination operation centers to strengthen not just our information campaign but the rollout of the vaccination program." 

Meanwhile, the PIA-7 and DOH-7 officially kicked off the very first Resbakuna Town Hall on COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Plan on April 13 to 14, 2021 in Bantayan Island, Cebu.

The first meeting was conducted in the Municipality of Bantayan led by Mayor Arthur Despi.

"Hinaot pa nga kining unang town hall meeting maoy sinugdanan aron makab-ot nato ang herd immunity (Hopefully, with this town hall meeting, we will be able to accomplish herd immunity," Despi said. 

"Kita nasayod nga ang COVID usa ka virus ug sa advice sa siyensa, ang pinaka epektibo gyud nga pag-kontrol aning virus kana ragyud ang magpabakuna. So kung magpabakuna kita, mahibalik kita sa atong mga naandan nga mga lihok ug ang mga naandan natong trabaho. Mao'y makapahiuli sa atong ekonomiya ug sa atong mga negosyo sama sa turismo ug uban pa (We are aware that COVID is a virus and according to science, the most effective way to control this virus is through vaccination. If we get inoculated, we will be able to return to normal and to what we are used to doing, and we could recover our economy especially our businesses focused on tourism, among others)," he added.

The town hall was attended by the captains and health workers of the 25 barangays of the Municipality of Bantayan.

The second Resbakuna Town Hall was held in the Municipality of Madridejos with combined participants, also captains and health workers, of the barangays in the municipalities of Madridejos and Sta. Fe.

This was spearheaded by Mayor Salvador de la Fuente and Sangguniang Bayan on Health Crispina G. Daruca of the Municipality of Madridejos.

"Sa tanang mga taga Madridejos, akong giawhag nga kung mahimo magpabakuna kitang tanan aron aduna kita'y kasiguroan sa atong panglawas kay once mabakunahan 'ta, dili nata mataptan aning sakit nga COVID-19 (To all residents of Madridejos, I urge you to get vaccinated in order to ensure safety because once you get vaccinated, you will not be infected by COVID-19)," said de la Fuente. 

The speakers for the two town halls were Dr. Shelbay Blanco who tackled the Demand Generation and Adverse Event Following Immunization and Dr. Van Phillip Baton, DOH-7 Medical Officer IV, who discussed the Vaccination Program Implementation, the Role of LGUs, and Prioritization List.

Assistant Regional Director Emil Respeto of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency-7, also a guest speaker, discussed about protecting the youth from the different schemes committed by the New People's Army in recruiting in campuses and in Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict or ELCAC.

For his part, Dr. Jonathan Neil Erasmo, DOH-7 Chief of Local Health Support Division, in his closing remarks encouraged all the participants of the forum to spread the correct information to their respective communities and encouraged them on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. (idc/PIA7)

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