MANILA – The Philippines will hold the fourth “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” on March 7, with a target to vaccinate more senior citizens this time, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.

“Nag-announce na si (National Task Force Against Covid-19 Deputy Chief Implementer and testing czar) Secretary (Vince) Dizon, about the week of March 7 ang ating NVD (National Vaccination Days) 4, we are still finalizing concept (Secretary Vince Dizon has announced that our NVD 4 would be around the week of March 7),” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said in a Laging Handa briefing.

The official, also the head of the National Vaccination Operations Center, said this fourth run would focus on inoculating more senior citizens, particularly in areas where vaccine coverage is still low.

In addition, the government would boost the vaccination for 12 to 17 years old, including those who have yet to receive their primary vaccine series.

In the third edition of Bayanihan, Bakunahan, figures fell short of the targeted five million vaccinees, with only around 3.4 million jabbed throughout the nine-day drive.

For the March 7 run, Cabotaje said no targets have been identified yet.

“Iyong ating target ay iku-konsulta natin sa ating local na pamahalaan this coming week. Ano ba iyong kailangang taasan pa, lalung-lalo na iyong mabababa iyong vaccination coverage (Our targets have to be consulted with local governments this coming week, like what areas needed an increase, especially those with low vaccination coverage). So, we don’t have the target yet,” she said.

As the government prepares for Alert Level 1 shift, Cabotaje said the DOH would also maximize its existing strategies to ramp up the vaccination, including setting up jab centers in government offices and clinics at economic zones.

The official said the Catholic Church has also agreed to use churches as possible vaccination sites while drive-thru and house-to-house vaccinations continue.

As of February 25, the country has vaccinated 63 million people.

Meanwhile, she said the pandemic task force plans to include a vaccination requirement before an area can transition to Alert Level 1.

“Ang isang hina-highlight natin, na tinitingnan ng (Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force) IATF ay iyong pagdagdag ng requirement ng vaccination – 70 percent ang dapat vaccination rate ng area at saka 80 percent of the 85 percent total A2 (senior citizens) ay nabakunahan na kasi alam naman natin, sila ang most at risk, most vulnerable (The Interagency Task Force is looking at including a vaccination requirement– for example, the vaccination rate of an area should be 70 percent and the number of its inoculated A2 is 80 to 85 percent because they are the most at risk and most vulnerable),” she said.

If this would be the basis, Cabotaje believes Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) is ready because it already vaccinated 100 percent of its qualified population, including about 91 percent of its senior citizens.

“[H]anda na po ang ating NCR mag-Alert Level 1 na kasama din ang Region CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), Region I, Region II at saka Region III and IV-A (NCR is ready for Alert Level 1, including CAR, Regions I, II, III, and IV-A),” she said. (PNA)