With the ongoing efforts of both the national government and local government units (LGUs) on Covid-19 vaccination, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will deploy more than 50,000 police and fire personnel to provide support and security to the national vaccine rollout that will now include the A4 category next month.

DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said the deployment and presence of DILG’s uniformed personnel will ensure the smooth rollout of vaccines in the country as it begins mass vaccination efforts with the expected arrival of some 16 million vaccines in the next two months.

“Mass vaccination will be a big challenge to the government but with the help of our uniformed personnel, we aim to get as many of our countrymen and women vaccinated as efficiently and as soon as possible. This is the only way for us to put an end to this pandemic,” he said in a news released on Sunday.

Año said the uniformed personnel are not only directed to maintain minimum public health standards (MPHS) in vaccination sites but will also serve as vaccinators or perform their tasks in the vaccination centers as required by the LGUs and the Department of Health.

Of the over 50,000 uniformed personnel to be deployed, he said some 35,415 policemen and women of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will provide security during the transport of vaccines nationwide while 13,840 PNP personnel will be tasked with securing various vaccination areas in the country.

Meanwhile, he said the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has mobilized 2,390 fire personnel and 356 emergency medical service units (EMS) in 1,150 identified warehouse or cold storage and vaccination sites nationwide. It has also prepositioned 733 fire trucks and 59 ambulances.

“Our DILG uniformed personnel will not only secure the vaccines but those with medical backgrounds will also be assigned to do medical tasks in our vaccination sites all over the country,” he said.

To ensure the safety and health of the uniformed personnel to be deployed, Año said both the PNP and the BFP have continued their respective internal vaccination efforts.

As of May 24, some 14,082 PNP medical front-liners have been inoculated with their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while 8,416 of these personnel have received their second dose. Meanwhile, 6,298 BFP personnel have received their first dose and 2,298 of them have received their second dose of vaccine.

In addition, 8,936 personnel from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) nationwide have also been inoculated with their first dose, while 3,750 of them have received their second dose.

On May 18, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. announced that the government is including the A4 cluster of the priority population group in the national vaccine rollout. Included in the A4 group are uniformed personnel. The vaccination of these groups is slated to start next month.

Anti-illegal drugs campaign

Meanwhile, DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the campaign against illegal drugs continues notwithstanding the Covid-19 pandemic.

The PNP, from May 17 to 25, has recorded 30 drug personalities that have personally surrendered to authorities, 1,317 illegal drug operations conducted, 1,709 drug personalities arrested, and 21 recorded deaths in anti-illegal drug operations.

During the same period, the PNP confiscated a total of PHP181,461,567 worth of shabu and marijuana.

“Let this be a resounding message and warning to drug peddlers and syndicates. Hindi tumitigil ang kapulisan sa pagsugpo sa iligal na droga (The police have not stop fighting illegal drugs). The police is not and will not be distracted from eradicating the menace of illegal drugs,” Malaya said.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic should not be the reason to resort to illegal trade just to earn money.

“Hindi rason ang pandemya para kayo’y maghanap ng ikabubuhay sa pagbebenta ng iligal na droga. Illegal drugs destroy our youth and Filipino families. Tigilan niyo na ang iligal na kalakarang ito (Pandemic is not the reason to earn money through illegal drug trades. Illegal drugs destroy our youth and Filipino families. Stop this illegal trade),” he said. (PR/PNA)