MANILA, Philippines — The government postponed the three-day national vaccination days on December 15 to 17 in Bicol, Mimaropa, Visayas, and Mindanao, presidential adviser for COVID-19 response Secretary Vince Dizon announced on Tuesday.
The vaccination days, dubbed “Bayanihan, Bakunahan,” in the said areas will be moved to December 20 to 22, Dizon said.
The postponement is to allow national government agencies, local government units, and provincial governments to prepare for the tropical cyclone forecast to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday.
“Kaya po minarapat ng ating NTF (National Task Force Against COVID-19) na inaprubahan na rin ng ating pangulo na i-postpone ang Bayanihan, Bakunahan sa Region 5, Bicol Region; sa Mimaropa, Region 4B; at sa buong Visayas at Mindanao,” Dizon said during the Laging Handa briefing.
(That is why the NTF, approved by the president, postponed Bayanihan, Bakunahan in Region 5, Bicol Region; Mimaropa, Region 4B; Visayas; and Mindanao.)
The tropical cyclone will be named Odette once it enters PAR, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa) earlier said.
Based on Pagasa’s forecast, Odette will traverse the central part of the Philippines and may affect Visayas, large portions of Mindanao, and several provinces in Southern Luzon.
The three-day vaccination drive in the rest of the country will push through on December 15 to 17.
“Ang Region 1, Cordillera [Administrative] Region, Region2, Region 3, NCR (National Capital Region), at Region 4A ay matutuloy po ang Bayanihan, Bakunhan bukas hanggang Biyernes,” Dizon said.
(Region 1, Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 2, Region 3, NCR, and Region 4A will continue with the Bayanihan, Bakunahan tomorrow until Friday.)
According to Dizon, the government is targeting to administer seven million COVID-19 vaccine doses during the second leg of the Bayanihan, Bakunahan.
“Dito po sa ating mga bakunahan days, ang target po natin ay seven million, marami po dito ay mga second doses para po ma-fully vaccinate natin ang marami sa ating mga kababayan ngayong buwan ng Disyembre,” he said.
(In our vaccination days, our target is to administer seven million doses, most of which are second doses to fully vaccinate several Filipinos this December.)
The first Bayanihan, Bakunahan was conducted on November 29 to December 1, and some areas even extended it until December 3.
The government is seeking to fully immunize 54 million individuals against COVID-19 by yearend.