The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), through Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya on Wednesday, January 12, is now mandating barangay officials to assess and submit a list of unvaccinated residents within their communities.
Malaya disclosed that Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has already issued a memorandum circular mandating punong barangays nationwide to identify, assess and submit the names of unvaccinated residents within their jurisdictions.
“Nagpalabas si Secretaary Año ng memorandum circular para magsagawa ng imbentaryo ang lahat ng mga barangays sa buong bansa para malaman ‘yung mga hindi pa nagpapabakuna sa barangay,” Malaya said in a live briefing.
He added that the measure was in accordance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s aim to restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals as the country’s COVID-19 cases continually spike after the holidays.
Once finished, Malaya said, local government units (LGUs) and barangays can already implement the restrictions on unvaccinated people through the creation of municipal and barangay ordinances.
“The ordinances will serve as guidelines of barangays and of the police sa implementation ng direktiba ng Pangulo to restrict the mobility of the unvaccinated,” Malaya said.
However, it can be recalled that Palawan’s Association of Barangay Council President (ABC), Board Member Ferdinand “Inan” Zaballa, during a recent interview with Palawan Daily concluded that he has begun to coordinate with Palawan’s 367 punong barangays concerning the presidential directive.
Zaballa said that they have agreed to launch a house-to-house campaign to educate the unvaccinated residents of the need to get inoculated. He also said that barangay councils will continue to host mass vaccination in the coming weeks.
“As much as possible, ayaw naming umabot sa ganoon ang sitwasyon. Susunod tayo sa order ng national government at ng pangulo pero mas maiging daanin natin ito sa usapan at huwag sa arestuhan agad,” Zaballa said.
Discussion about this post