MANILA -- The League of Cities of the Philippines on Tuesday threw its support to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s bid to achieve the target of 50% booster coverage against COVID-19.

“Now on booster shots for the healthy population, Mr. President, we stand by your directive that 50 percent of the general population should receive their first booster dose,” Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, the Executive Vice-President of LCP, said in a speech during the LCP meeting in Malacañang.

“Likewise, we stand by your commitment to administer doses to at least 23 million people within the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.”

Belmonte said the LCP is also grateful to the efforts of the Marcos administration, through the DOH, to respond to the plea of local officials that more population, even healthy ones, should be given a second booster.

A Department of Health (DOH) memorandum circular allows 18-49-year-olds with comorbidities, as well as 50-year-olds and above, to have a second booster.

“We promised you that our cities will remain vigilant on the uptick of COVID-19 cases. And we also remain a committed partner of the Department of Health in achieving a COVID-free and Healthy Pilipinas,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte also said the LCP expresses its sympathies to the victims of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit northern Philippines last July 27.

She said the league would extend assistance to the cities of Candon, Vigan, San Fernando, Baguio, and Tabuk, as well as several municipalities affected by the tremor.

Highlighting the true spirit of bayanihan, she said the LCP is appealing to the DILG to craft a framework to allow cities to assist one another in times of disasters and other emergencies. (PND)