DAVAO CITY, July 12 (PIA)—Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio revealed it is up to the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 to declare the new quarantine classification of the city come July 15, 2021 given that it has more parameters to look into. 

Speaking at the Davao City Disaster Radio, she said she will abide with the decision of the IATF if it finds enough reason to ease the quarantine status of the city.

Duterte-Carpio stressed that regardless of variants, minimum health protocols, washing of hands with soap, water and alcohol, social distancing and vaccination must be strictly followed in the city because the infection still comes from the same virus. 

She mulled on opening up all businesses in the city, if Department of Health lifts the community quarantine status. 

Duterte-Carpio bared that as part of the national action plan for recovery the people need to return to work for them to have a source of income.

She said the Davao City Promotion center continuously consults investors for business to reopen.  “Everything hinges on the vaccination roll out for the fully opening of the city,” she said.

Duterte-Carpio said that the Bakuna by the Sea will have a vaccination roll out from Wednesday to Friday.  

She said the phasing of the vaccination is dependent on the arrival of vaccines which are released immediately for vaccination roll out. 

Duterte-Carpio believed 10,000 vaccinations per day in the city are attainable more vaccination sites are open.

“To reach 1.2 million residents receiving first dose by November 2021 remains a target,” she said. 

Duterte-Carpio noticed hesitancy in the vaccination among Indigenous Peoples (IPs) being the first to receive the jab as indigents. 

She said that as a proper protocol, they first coordinated with the tribal leaders who will explain the need for vaccination to their members. 

Duterte-Carpio observed many IPs prefer to see first if their neighbors have vaccinated first.

“Vaccination confidence may affect the patronage of the people but still the advisory from the Department of Health is being followed,” Duterte-Carpio said. (PIA XI-Joey Sem Dalumpines)