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[UPDATED] CEBU CITY, Philippines – Several local executives in Cebu island, from mayors to councilors, already received their doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) recently issued Resolution No. 115-B, bumping up elected local officials’ eligibility to receive free COVID-19 vaccines from the national government.
From A4, they were moved to sub-priority group A1.5 under the Philippine National Deployment Plan for COVID-19 vaccines.
Below is the list of local chief executives here in Cebu who recently received their first dose of the vaccine.
1. Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard ‘Ahong’ Chan
2. Medellin Mayor Benjun Mondigo
Mondigo on Wednesday, May 19 took his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at the town’s Rural Health Unit (RHU). Medellin is a second-class municipality situated 116.3 kilometers north of Cebu City.
3. Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chong, Naga City
Chong received her first dose of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday afternoon, May 18, at Naga City’s Vaccination Center.
Naga City is a fifth-class component city of Cebu province, located approximately 21 kilometers south of the capital Cebu City.
4. Carcar City Officials
Further south, in Carcar City, several members of its legislative body were also administered with their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines last Tuesday.
Carcar City Vice Mayor Nicepuro Apura, Councilors Patrick Barcenas, Edgardo Oca, and Alberto Camingao Jr., all of whom are senior citizens and classified under A2, received the first shot of CoronaVac, the COVID-19 vaccine brand of Sinovac Biotech.
5. Nito Durano, Danao City
Meanwhile, in the northern part of the province, the local government of Danao announced on Tuesday that Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III has already completed his inoculation schedule.
Based on the city’s official Facebook page, Durano already received his second dose of AstraZeneca last May 18.
They also said the mayor, tagged under A2, is in good health after experiencing mild adverse reactions post-vaccination, which included minor headaches and a slight increase of body temperature.
“Sa first dose niya, nanginit og gamay ang iyang lawas sud sa lima ka minuto. Wala siyay hilanat, pamaol o pagbugtaw sa bukton. Sa second dose niya kagahapon, adunay minor nga labad sa ulo sud sa dyes minutos duha ka oras human naturok ang bakuna. Mao ra kini ang iyang gipamati nga reactions. In good condition siya karon,” the post added.
(When he received his first dose, his body temperature slightly increased for at least five minutes. But he did not have fever, body and shoulder pains. During his second dose yesterday, he had minor headaches that lasted for 10 minutes and which he experienced two hours after being injected with the vaccine. These are mild adverse reactions and he is in good condition right now.)
Durano, meanwhile, urged his constituents to get themselves vaccinated once given the chance.
Danao City is a third-class component city 47 kilometers north of Cebu City.
Other mayors and elected officials confirmed to have already received their first dose are the following:
Minglanilla
Mayor Elanito Peña
Cebu City
- Mayor Edgardo Labella
- Vice Mayor Michael Rama
- Councilor Leah Japson
- Councilor Joy Augustus Young
- Councilor Raul Alcoseba, Jr.
- Councilor Joel Garganera
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, spokesperson of the Department of Health (DOH-7), also encouraged other local officials in Cebu – from governors to mayors – to avail themselves of the vaccines following IATF’s recent announcement to already include them in the government’s priority list. / dcb
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