S-Pass, vax card not mandatory, says PIATF

People raised their concerns through social media about the “hard-to-get” S-Pass document when going in and out of the province. During the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force virtual meeting last October 27, 2021, Department of Interior and Local Governance Provincial Director Geraldine Maquelabit, and the municipal mayors unanimously approved that the S-Pass document is no longer mandatory. Only on persons going to some restricted areas is the S-Pass required, Maquelabit added.
The COVID-19 advisory signed by Provincial Governor Damian G. Mercado last October 25, 2021 on the issuance of vaccination card in entering government offices was also discussed. Maquelabit clarified that the advisory is not mandatory, but for those who have their vaccination card they may present this, while those who have not been vaccinated must present their QR Code.
Recent data recorded by the Department of Health show that all Frontliners, or those belonging to A1 category, are 100% fully vaccinated; Expanded A1 or to the immediate family of A1 category is 46% vaccinated; Senior Citizens or those belonging to A2 category are only 45% vaccinated; 66% for A3 category or persons with comorbidities and 33% for Essential Workers or A4 categories are fully vaccinated.
Provincial Health Director Dr. Feliciano Matibag also disclosed that out of 459,573 constituents in Southern Leyte, 108,863 got their first dose and 67,228 their second dose; 204,547 persons of the remaining population are not vaccinated yet.
“…wala nay problema sa availability sa vaccines ang capacity na lang sa kung kinsa ang magpabakuna,” Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado shared. He said that the availability of the vaccines is not the problem, but the willingness of those persons to submit themselves to get vaccinated.
Maquelabit also disclosed that this week will be the vaccination of children aged 12 to 17 years.
Southern Leyte is still under Modified General Community Qurantine until the last day of November, 2021.