PASIG CITY (16 JUNE 2021)—  With over 10 million anti-COVID vaccine doses expected to arrive in the country this month, high-risk areas in Mindanao, particularly those which are experiencing surges in COVID-19 cases, will get more vaccines, Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr, National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar, said following calls by lawmakers for the more equitable distribution of vaccines nationwide.

“The National Task Force against COVID-19 would like to assure our honorable members of the Congress that we will not neglect the regions, especially those in Mindanao, in our vaccine deployment,” Galvez said.

“Following President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to deploy more vaccines to the regions, we will immediately send more vaccines in Mindanao as soon as the rest of the deliveries arrive this month,” he added.

For the month of June, the country has so far received over 4.3 million vaccine doses, bringing to 12,705,870 the total number of vaccine doses the Philippines has received since February.

Around 6 million more vaccine doses from different manufacturers are expected to arrive this month.

“The bulk of our vaccine shipments only started to arrive in May. The vaccine deployment was based on the government’s risk assessment, as well as our prioritization categories for the most vulnerable populations,” Galvez said.

Vaccine supply

The NTF and the Department of Health (DOH) appeared before a public hearing called by the House Committee on Mindanao Affairs on Monday, to address the lawmakers’ concerns on the nation’s vaccine roll out, testing, and other aspects of the government’s COVID-19 response and mitigation efforts.

During the interpellation, Hon. Rufus Rodriguez, second district representative of Cagayan de Oro City, lamented about the lack of vaccines in his locality despite the surge in COVID-19 cases.

“Because of this lack of vaccines, deaths have been reported daily in Mindanao… battleground cities ito and yet wala (pang vaccines),” Rodriguez said.

Undersecretary Isidro Purisima, who represented Galvez during the hearing, apologized for  the delay in vaccine deployment, as he gave the assurance that areas such as Cagayan de Oro City will soon be receiving additional vaccine doses.

“We apologize for the shortage of vaccine supplies for the past weeks. But we will definitely increase the allocations… I would like to let the people in Mindanao understand na hindi po natin iniiwan ang Mindanao. We will address ang concern natin,” Purisima said.

The Vaccine Czar extended condolences to the families of those who died of COVID-19 in Mindanao, and appealed to lawmakers for more patience as the vaccine supply is on the way.

“I offer my sincerest condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones to this deadly disease. Mindanao is close to my heart, as I was stationed there for many years as a soldier,” Galvez said.

“We are getting more vaccines there very soon, and Mindanao will not be left behind. This is my promise to all Mindanaoans,” Galvez added

As of June 14, a total of 1,735,630 vaccine doses have been delivered to Mindanao. Galvez just also recently deployed almost half million of vaccines in most affected areas of Mindanao with 210,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines in Davao Region, 35,000 in Cagayan de Oro City and additional vaccines to Dipolog, Zamboanga City, Cotabato City, Zamboanga del Sur, Gensan, Koronadal, Bukidnon, Butuan and other affected areas of Luzon and Visayas.#