DAVAO Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang warned mayors in the province that they will not receive vaccine allocation if they will not provide counterpart funds for the vaccines.
In a press statement provided by the provincial government, Dayanghirang directed during an emergency meeting on Friday, August 13, all local chief executives of the province to allocate funds for the purchase of vaccines and other operations related to Covid-19 response, especially amidst the urgent threat of the Covid-19 Delta variant.
“Dayanghirang warned mayors who will not provide allocation for the vaccines that only those local government units (LGUs) with counterpart funds will be given with vaccines by the provincial government, stressing that the allocation of funds for vaccines also reflects the LGU’s interest to save the lives of their people,” the press statement from the provincial government reads.
“So ano ba dapat i-sacrifice natin? I-sacrifice natin ang ibang proyekto o i-sacrifice natin ang buhay ng tao natin? [Of course] unahin natin ang buhay ng mga tao natin,” Dayanghirang said.
(What are we supposed to sacrifice? Should we sacrifice our other projects or the lives of our people? [Of course] let us prioritize the lives of our people.)
Dayanghirang said in anticipation of the possible entry of the Delta variant in the province, it must also prepare for the worst-case scenario by training more people, identifying additional facilities to cater to Covid-19 patients, and fast-tracking the vaccination program.
The government said the province cannot afford to solely rely on the national government for funding.
“Hindi pwede na i-asa natin lahat sa national government. Meron din tayong sariling resources natin. (We cannot rely all our needs to the national government. We also have our own resources),” he said.
The provincial government has already allocated P80 million for the Covid-19 response. Of the total, P60 million will be used as counterpart funds for the vaccination program and P20 million for the Covid-19 response operation.
The provincial government said some LGUs in the province have already allocated funds for the vaccines and their Covid-19 response, including Mati City and the municipalities of San Isidro and Tarragona.
Currently, the province has already submitted a letter of intent to the national government for the purchase of vaccines as it aims to inoculate 100 percent of its eligible population.
With the fiscal year about to end, the governor strongly urged the mayors to set aside funds as government coffers would soon become exhausted.
“So hangga’t maaga na meron pang pwedeng pagkunan, mag allocate na kayo para meron tayong preparation. It’s high time. Di natin alam kailan matatapos ‘tong problema natin sa Covid,” Dayanghirang said.
(While there are still funds available, you should allocate so that you can prepare. It is high time. We don’t know when this problem on Covid-19 will end.)
The provincial government has also proposed to establish a P25 million oxygen plant in the province to augment its depleting oxygen supply, especially in the municipalities.
Provincial Task Force on Covid-19 Action Officer Dr. Reden Bersaldo said they are implementing these strategies to address the limited facilities of the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center (DOPMC).
These strategies include putting up additional Covid-19 extension and additional intensive care unit (ICU) beds; conversion of the DOPMC third floor into a communicable pavilion and transfer all clean cases at the second-floor wards; and the transfer of all mild cases including employees to a separate facility outside DOPMC to reserve hospital beds to moderate to severe cases.
Bersaldo appealed to the public to also help the local healthcare system by abiding by the health protocols and by having themselves vaccinated.
Meanwhile, he also urged the mayors to adopt other strategies, which include strict and immediate granular lockdown for clustering of cases, provide logistical needs such as food, fuel, personal protective equipment and medical supplies, utilization of telemedicine, and expansion of isolation facilities.
