Cebu City Acting Mayor Michael Rama and Acting Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros turn over a motorcycle to Ferli Doldolea, one of the winners of the city’s PaBakuna Ta Bonanza. | CDN file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City is mulling the return of the Bakuna Bonanza to encourage more people to get the booster shot.
Mayor Michael Rama mulls the return of the raffle draw program the city initiated in 2021 to encourage more people to get vaccinated.
“I would like others to please help the city for another Bakuna Bonanza. Why not? Bakuna Bonanza para eskwela, gugma para natong tanan,” he said.
The mayor said he is aware of the slowdown of the vaccination program since the majority of the population has been vaccinated with the first and second doses.
The city has only inoculated around 148,000 booster shots, which is far from the total of 845,843 adults completely vaccinated with the first and second doses.
He hopes that another raffle draw would encourage the public to get the booster shot as added protection against COVID-19 and in preparation of moving further away from the pandemic.
The mayor said that the vaccination remains to be the direction of the city because it is only through a vaccinated population can the city further ease restrictions.
As of now, restrictions are at a bare minimum with only face masks left as the major policy against the COVID-19.
Yet the mayor notes that with the return of the face-to-face classes, the health protocols will once again take an important role in keeping the learners safe.
And so for the children’s safety to be secured, it is necessary for teachers, parents, and even the students to be vaccinated with not only the first and second doses but also with the necessary boosters, Rama stressed.
“There will be a shift, the shifting will go down the schools. Go down the households. The barangays must do a singular approach in the households,” said Rama.
As for the public, Rama urges them to get vaccinated while the cases are at an all-time low. He believes this is the perfect time to prepare for future spikes in cases. /rcg
ALSO READ:
Win a house and lot, brand new car in Cebu City’s vaccination bonanza
20-year-old fully vaccinated student wins motorcycle from Cebu City’s PaBakuna Ta Bonanza