Former Vice President Jejomar Binay and Makati City government officials on Tuesday donated COVID-19 vaccines to local government units of Malvar, Batangas and Meycauayan, Bulacan. Binay, a former mayor of Makati, and City Administrator Claro Certeza turned over the vaccines donated by the Makati City government to help the two towns included in Makati’s sister-LGU program.
To date, a total of 34,800 doses have been distributed to seven local government units. These include Urdaneta, Pangasinan; the province of Batangas; Malabon, Cuenca, Batangas; and Batac, Ilocos Norte.
Binay, who is running for senator in the May 9 elections, earlier urged the government to send more COVID-19 vaccines outside Metro Manila.
“The vaccine supply should not be concentrated in Metro Manila. Every citizen, including those from the provinces, should be vaccinated,” said Binay.
Binay said the vaccination rate remains low in several regions. He noted that a number of local officials have complained that their request for more vaccines has not been acted upon by the national government.
“If we want the country to get back on its feet, we need to vaccinate everyone, not just a few,” he said.
The sisterhood program of Makati was launched during the mayoral term of the former Vice President. Over the years, the city has extended various forms of assistance to sister LGUs throughout the country.
During the term of Binay’s daughter, incumbent Mayor Abigail Binay, the city government sent financial, relief and technical aid to localities hard-hit by disasters.
Makati was able to lend its modern disaster response equipment to Bauan, Batangas to serve thousands of evacuees who fled their homes when the Taal Volcano erupted. These included mobile kitchens, mobile showers and portalets, a water filtration system, and a mobile clinic.
To date Makati has a total of 549 sister-LGUs. The city also has sisterhood ties with 23 foreign cities and municipalities.
