LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu—Several medical frontliner volunteers assigned to different vaccination sites here have already refused to lend their help in the ongoing vaccination rollout.
This is after the city has no longer provided them food packs for their meals.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan explained that this happened as the city’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) response budget has already dried up since September 10.
Chan has already asked the city council for additional funds through Supplemental Budget (SB) no. 3, but such a proposal has not been approved yet.
“Kita, naningkamot gyud nga makahatag ta nila sa ilang pagkaon kay mao raman gyud nay paagi sa ilang pag-volunteer, wala mana sila’y bayad. So, pagkaon ra gyud atong gi-provide sa ilaha,” Chan said.
Due to this, Chan continues to appeal to the city council to approve SB no. 3 worth P81 million. Included in the budget is the P45 million allocated for COVID-19 response.
The council has deferred the approval of SB no. 3, due to some questionable items in the liquidation of COVID-19 related expenditures.
“Nanawagan ko sa akong amigo, kinsa tong malooy, para lang dili maputol atong momentum sa atoang pag-vaccine,” he added.
Lawyer James Sayson, deputy chief for the Local Vaccination Operations Center (LVOC), revealed that at the moment, their vaccination sites have more than a hundred volunteers.
“Ubay-ubay gyud ang wala na mamalik tungod kay wala nama ta’y ika-provide nga meals ngadto nila,” Sayson said.
/bmjo