Duterte orders sanctions for LGUs failing in COVID vaccination efforts

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to sanction local government units (LGUs) and local chief executives not performing well in relation to the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

“I have also ordered [DILG] Secretary [Eduardo] Año to impose the necessary sanctions against LGUs and LCEs who are not performing nor using the doses given to them in the most expeditious manner,” he said in a taped public address aired on Wednesday.

“I will hold each and every LGU accountable for this,” he added.

Duterte said there are “fault lines” in the government’s inoculation program, especially in the deployment of vaccines in the provincial and regional level.

“Hindi ko malaman kung saan talaga nagkakamali, kung may mali bakit mahina ang paglabas ng bakuna. Dito sa NCR, medyo okay, ang problema, pagdating doon sa provincial at regional level, doon nagkakaroon ng medyo problema,” he said.

(I don’t know where we are lacking in the deployment of vaccines. Here in NCR, it’s okay. The problem is with the provincial and regional level.)

“So that even in the matter of deploying them to the proper sites eh mahina,” he added.

He said he has ordered agencies to make sure that LGUs will receive enough daily vaccine supply as the government aims to administer one million doses or more everyday.

He has also ordered the use of the police and military’s air assets in the COVID-19 vaccine delivery to provinces and municipalities.

With this, LGUs should ensure there are enough vaccinators, Duterte said.

“I hope the local governments, the mayors would take time to attend to this problem of delay,” he said.