TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, March 3 (PIA)—Antequera Mayor Lilioso Nunag underscores the need to intensify their efforts to achieve herd immunity, so that the people could step into the new normal.
While feeling the brunt of the restrictions hurting their local cottage industry and the marketing slump in the global economy, the mayor hinted at the Network Briefing News Thursday that sliding back to the new normal is critical to his town’s recovery.
While Bohol is still accomplishing 58% vaccination to give full protection to its residents from coronavirus disease (COVID), Antequera keeps a 52.54% vaccination accomplishment as per records from the Rural Health Unit, as of February 27.
In fact, this figure could even be more considering that Antequera’s proximity to the economic hub in Tagbilaran, has also been afforded the chance to have city-based workers vaccinated in the city, for work requirements.
To get to the target fast, the local government has initiated an incentive system through cash and in-kind prizes as well as infra-projects to barangays that can achieve 70% herd immunity.
To get to the out-laying communities in this town, the LGU put up mobile vaccination drives to the town’s 21 barangays and puroks, the mayor said.
The mayor, who was guest on the nationwide radio online interview and aired over Radio Pilipinas and on delayed telecast on national cable and television channels, bared that the town has to rise up after getting hit by Coronavirus disease and the devastating effects of typhoon Odette which hit Bohol December 16, 2021.
Practically into backyard cottage industry in basket weaving, Antequera’s economy has been well defined by the quality and volume of the baskets they sell to the resorts, malls and hotels in Bohol as well as international buyers, most of which also got affected by the pandemic.
While on to Alert level 2 where the town also implemented loosened health and safety protocols for businesses to start their runs, the mayor said during the hour-long interview.
And at the beginning of the year, the town has decided to help the community by extending the deadlines for business permits and licenses as well as for the real property taxes, to give ample time for the people to get on to their recovery plans, without incurred penalties for late registrations, permits and licenses.
This however, is clearly not enough for a town that has meager local funds to help their residents stand up from the crumpling adversities.
With the Department of Trade and Industry, Antequera facilitated for the government livelihood stimulus funds of P8,000 each for the 50 micro business beneficiaries, especially those impacted by the effects of the pandemic and the calamity.
Beyond this, for sustainability of the livelihood assistance in sarisari-store starter packs, Antequera has institutionalized the Negosyo Center, manned by a business counselor who can dish out basic help and capacity building for the town’s aspiring entrepreneurs.
The DTI and the Department of Agriculture have also offered the town zero-interest loans, while the social welfare has given Livelihood Assistance Grants (LAG) to selected individuals, apart from the release of P3,000 Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations for the town’s 1,600 displaced workers.
The mayor also cited Tulong Pangkabuhayan para sa Displaced Workers (TUPAD) of the Labor department, P3M hog production through swine dispersal from the Agriculture Department, the P2M bio shredders and the trickle effects of the President’s Build, Build, Build program. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
