Solon: 1,600 House employees vaccinated against COVID-19

Bataan Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III announced Sunday that 1,600 employees of the House of Representatives (HoR) have been inoculated against coronavirus disease 2019, since the chamber's in-house inoculation drive began in May.

"Ang target po natin na mabakunahang employees, including families, ang target nasa 25,000. Nagstart na ng May 11. So far nakapag vaccinate na tayo ng 1,600," Garcia, head of House CongVax Program, told "Super Radyo DZBB."

(We are targeting to vaccinate  around 25,000 employees including their families. We started last May 11, so far we vaccinated 1,600.)

Garcia said, those who have been vaccinated are included in the A2 and A3 priority list, or senior citizens and people with comorbidities.

According to Garcia, the HoR had secured Novavax vaccine doses that were manufactured in India. Around P50 million was allocated for vaccination of House members and their dependents. 

Likewise, Garcia said they are expecting the ordered vaccine doses to arrive by July.

Moreover, the lawmaker said the HoR plans to vaccinate its employees before the sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte this July.

However, he noted that that vaccination effort is still dependent on the arrival of vaccine supplies.

"I talked with our team, and we agreed that before SONA, the third regular session, all employees and dependents must be vaccinated," Garcia said in a mix of Filipino and English.

"I think, as far as the House is concerned, we are dependent on the arrival as long as these vaccines arrive, I am ready," he pointed out.  —LBG, GMA News