Officials and employees of DILG XII all lined up to get their immunity boosted against pneumonia and flu on Friday, September 11, 2020 as the vaccination program pushed through after brief teleconference hosted by a healthcare facility, which administered the vaccines. In attendance to the video-conference were the provincial directors of DILG XII along with the other personnel and staff.
Director Josephine Cabrido-Leysa, CESO III, led the regional management team, with ARD Lailyn A. Ortiz, CESO V, in receiving the anti-pneumonia and flu shots amidst the cheers of the regional and field personnel who were present at the Regional Office Conference Room and those who were watching the whole proceedings as it was streamed through the Zoom app.
She urged everyone to avail of the vaccines as a way to boost their health while reports about confirmed Covid-19 cases continue to pour in from various places in the Region. “I know we all do our best to boost our immune system through exercise, take the right food and food supplements but we need to get the available vaccine, if we haven’t received it yet,” Dir. Leysa explained.
“We have experienced this program while we were at the Central Office and I said to myself ‘why can’t we do it here?’”, explains Director Leysa, who served as the Head Executive Assistant to three DILG secretaries before she came home as regional director of Region XII last year. That simple question started the ball rolling leading to the vaccination program on September 11.
Assistant Director Ortiz confirmed that for the Regional Office, there were about 72 personnel, including those in the Regional Execom, who availed both of the PCV 13 and flu shots. Other field offices are scheduled to have their vaccination on the following dates: Sept 25 for Cotabato Province and Cotabato City, October 2 for Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato and October 9 for General Santos City and Sarangani Province.
“Our records from the administrative division show that out of the 127 personnel, there were some who opted out of the vaccination because they have already availed of it ,” ARD Ortiz clarified. “While the vaccine against pneumonia and flu do not protect against the Covid 19 virus, vaccination against respiratory illness would be a great help to protect your health,” ARD Ortiz stated.
Both employees and members of the Execom and Management Team thanked RD Leysa for pushing through with the vaccination program. PDMU Chief Engineer Herminio S. Ontoy was one of those who relayed her gratitude to Dir. Leysa for ‘looking after every member of the DILG XII family.’ The outpouring of thanks for the Director continued throughout the day.
