MANILA -- The efficient and aggressive vaccination program in Tacurong City has helped in the downtrend of COVID-19 cases in the city for the last two weeks, its local chief executive said on Monday. 

In an interview during Network Briefing News on October 18 hosted by Presidential Communications Sec. Martin M. Andanar, Mayor Lino Montilla shared that one of the reasons why the COVID-19 situation in the city has been contained in the last14 days is because of the intensified vaccination program in all age groups.

“Ang COVID-19 cases po natin ay going down. As of October 1, ay nasa 93 po ang active cases po, but as of yesterday, October 17, bumaba na po sa 31 ang active cases po natin. [Our COVID-19 cases are going down. As of October 1, there are 93 active cases, but as of yesterday, October 17, our active cases have dropped to 31.],” Mayor Montilla said.

He emphasized that the national government has been actively allocating COVID-19 vaccines for the people of Tacurong City.

“Dahil na rin po ito siguro na dumarami na po iyong mga vaccine na dumadating po dito sa atin sa Lungsod ng Tacurong at in-intensify natin iyong [information dissemination] campaign po natin. [This is probably because the number of vaccines being given to us in Tacurong City is increasing and we have intensified our [information dissemination] campaign.],” he said.

The City Health Office formed two vaccination teams stationed in the central vaccination hub in Poblacion while the other group was assigned to vaccinate senior citizens in far-flung areas.

“In-intensify natin iyong vaccination drive natin para na rin bumaba ang COVID-19 cases natin. Mayroon din tayong mobile vaccination program para mailapit natin ito sa ating mga tao. [We have intensified our vaccination drive so that our COVID-19 cases will also go down. We also have a mobile vaccination program so we can bring it closer to our people.],” Mayor Montilla added.

Construction of Isolation Facilities

The Department of Health also established a quarantine and isolation facility in Tacurong City while the construction of another isolation facility funded by the Office of Civil Defense is still ongoing, according to Mayor Montilla. Both agencies released 10 million pesos of funds for these quarantine facilities.

The city government also constructed two isolation facilities and plans to establish the People's Dialysis and Diagnostic Center dedicated to giving free access to quality health care.

Enabling the capacity of the city to receive more COVID-19 vaccines, Mayor Montilla shared that they procured two sub-zero freezers worth Php 1.183 million pesos for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines last August 17, 2021.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has placed the city under Modified General Community Quarantine started last October 16 to October 31. (PCOO)