Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr. reiterated on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, the statement made by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in his Talk-to-the People Address, to ramp up the vaccination in local government units.
The Palace official noted the Chief Executive’s wish to have 50-M fully vaccinated Filipinos before the year 2021 ends. “Dagdag ni Presidente, kailangan umabot sa pinamakalayong lugar while preserving the integrity of the vaccines,” said Secretary Roque.
As of October 25, 2021, more than 56-millon total vaccine doses have been administered nationwide, according to data from the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard. Of this number, almost 26-million or 25, 955, 669 individuals are now fully vaccinated all over the country, said Sec. Roque.
Roque added that in the National Capital Region, more than 17.6-million total vaccine doses have been administered. Of this number, 9, 307, 293 individuals or 95.20 percent have received a first dose, while 8, 387, 179 or 85.79 percent are fully vaccinated in Metro Manila.
The Palace spokesperson and concurrent Inter-Agency Task Force spokesperson also reported that case numbers continue to decline and that the country’s positivity rate has gone down to a single digit at 9 percent.
“Kailangang ma-sustain po natin itong decline lalo na paparating na po ang Kapaskuhan kung saan tumataas ang mobility ng mga tao. Iwasan rin po natin ang tatlong Cs: closed, crowded, at close contact settings,” reminded Roque.
On another matter, Sec. Roque affirmed the President’s acknowledgement of the action of the Development Budget Coordination Committee to provide cash grants to bonafide and qualified public utility vehicle drivers.
“Kumpiyansa kami na maipapamahagi sa nalalabing buwan ng taon ang P1-B fuel subsidy sa ilalim ng Pantawid Pasada Program ng Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) ng Department of Transportation, kung saan ang LandBank ang magdi-disburse diretso sa cash cards na in-isyu sa mga drayber,” Roque said.
Roque added that the LTFRB will meet with LandBank on this matter and that the LTFRB still needs to complete the required documents such as the list of drivers and operators in all regions of the country, which will serve as basis for the formal fund request to the Department of Budget and Management this week.
“Inaasahan nilang masisimulan ang pagbibigay ng cash grant sa Nobyembre. Indeed, this underscores our commitment to cushion the impact of the oil price hikes to the transportation sector,” remarked Sec. Roque.
In the same press briefing, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said children 11 years old and below will temporarily not be allowed to visit the Manila Bay Dolomite Beach because of the Alert Level 3 classification of Metro Manila and because the area tends to be crowded even if it is an open area.
To control the crowds, Usec. Antiporda said they have implemented the five-minute rule where no more than 400 people are allowed in the area at a given time. To lessen the line of people waiting to be accommodated, visitors to the area are advised to leave after five minutes, said Antiporda. ### OPS
