SOME local chief executives in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) are now listed as priority persons for COVID-19 vaccination after some areas in the region were tagged as critical or high-risk areas for the disease.
Advisory No. 26 of the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) approved by the national IATF for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on April 5 has identified 57 high-risk and critical provinces, 25 highly urbanized and independent component cities as well as 321 component cities and municipalities all over the country whose mayors and governors can be inoculated, after all the health workers under the A-1 priority list have been vaccinated.
The local mayors in the CAR are tagged as A-1.5 priority, meaning they can be vaccinated after health workers but before senior citizens.
In the Cordillera, all the chief executives in the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Baguio City were included in the priority list.
Tabuk City and Pasil in Kalinga; Sadanga, Barlig, Bauko, Tadian, Besao, Sabangan, Sagada and capital town Bontoc in Mountain Province; Flora and Pudtol in Apayao; Atok, Buguias, Kibungan, Kabayan and capital town La Trinidad in Benguet; and Alfonso Lista, Lamut, Hingyon and capital town Bangued in Ifugao were on the list of the locations where local chief executives can receive the vaccine ahead of schedule.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Buguias Mayor Ruben Tindaan, Abra Governor Joy Bernos, Sagada Mayor James Pooten, and Kalinga Governor Ferdinand Tubban have all previously tested positive for COVID-19.
