The National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) has committed to increase the number of vaccines to be deployed to Zamboanga City due to the growing COVID-19 cases as well as due to the importance of the city to the economy of Region 9.

This was declared by NIATF Deputy Chief Implementer Secretary Vivencio Dizon who led a team to Zamboanga City Friday to personally assess the COVID-19 situation here amidst the continuous surge in coronavirus infections.

He said no less than Sec. Carlito Galvez, the NIATF Chief Implementer and vaccine czar has spoken with Mayor Beng Climaco via phone and made the commitment.

“So committed na po yon, we will be coordinating with Mayor Beng and her team to ensure a steady flow of vaccines,” Sec. Dizon said during the virtual press briefing held after the executive meeting with the local Task Force COVID-19 and attended by concerned regional agencies at the Palmeras convention hall Friday.

He likewise expressed elation that the City Government, through Mayor Climaco’s leadership “has demonstrated very efficient roll out of vaccines in the past couple of weeks despite the low supply that has been allocated”.

On the other hand, Dizon assured that the NIATF, per instruction of President Duterte will provide the necessary support and assistance to the city with the rising cases of coronavirus. “We will always be here for Zamboanga- Sec. Galvez, Mayor Benjie, Sec. Duque, Sec. Villar- all of us in the NIATF, will  always prioritize Zamboanga City not only because of the rising cases but because of the importance of ZC in the overall economy of Mindanao.”

The vaccination program will hopefully be the last stages of the COVID-response, he said stressing anew: “We commit that vaccines will come to ZC and Region 9 and all we ask is we are able to roll out fast, and roll out to as many countrymen and women as possible. Thank you again for your leadership Mayor Beng.”

The NIATF team to include Health Assistant Secretary Romeo Ong, Baguio Mayor and NIATF Chief Tracing Czar Benjamin Magalong and NIATF Special Adviser Dr. Teodoro Herbosa also brought along initial assistance to the city in the form of treatment medicines, PPEs for the hospitals, ventilators and other equipment as well as 10,000 antigen kits among others. (Sheila Covarrubias)