Tabuk City, Kalinga – Governor Ferdinand Tubban underscores that the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic reminds people the importance of public health saying, “dagiti kapadasan tayo iti daytoy a pandemya ket nang-riing kenyatayo tapno saan tayo alaen a bareng-bareng ti salun-at tayo.”
Tubban through Provincial Administrator, Atty. William Puday Jr., delivered a message underscoring health as a priority and an indispensable part in human and community development during the launching of the National Covid-19 Vaccination III held at the Capitol Park on February 10, 2022.
“The pandemic taught us that everything becomes useless when we get sick and unable to work or enjoy the things we possess. The pandemic also taught us that we can lose jobs, opportunities, businesses and even lives of people we love,” he said.
Tubban then emphasized that good health is what a person needs in order to work, think, and help others.
“Ti salun-at isu ti kangrunaan a mausar tapno makatrabaho, makapanunot, ken makatulong iti pada a tao,” he expressed.
The governor painted the gravity of the Covid-19 impact on the country, saying about 54,690 lives have been lost since the health crisis began. He added that the pandemic likewise hit businesses where forced closed down was experienced by 38 percent of establishments and companies. He also related that during the height of lockdowns, the country experienced a 17.6 percent unemployment rate, equivalent to at least 8 million workers.
Factors contributing to Kalinga’s resilience against the pandemic
The governor said that the Province of Kalinga has not suffered much compared to those in many other areas in the country, ‘partly due to the culture, geographical location, availability of resources and the determination and commitment of our leaders.’
Tubban added that one main reason of survival in Kalinga is the unity and cooperation among the constituents and the local government units.
“This led to having more than 70% of the adult population of the province vaccinated and the beginning of the vaccination of our younger population. This also paved the way for the provincial government programs not to be delayed,” he said.
With their cooperation and unity, Tubban added that this has allowed the Kalinga PLGU to continuously deliver services to the people, complete infrastructure projects, strengthen program implementation, and provide assistance to support different sectors despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘Public health and safety is first’ – Gov. Tubban
With the implementation of the 3rd National Covid-19 Vaccination, Tubban stressed that in restarting and resuming daily activities in the new normal, there is a need for the qualified constituents in all the municipalities and the city to get the Covid-19 jab to attain herd immunity and to survive together.
“If we want to do more, then we need to first consider public health and safety. We need to get immunized and we need to have that sense of responsibility not only for our safety but also the safety of others,” he said.
Governor Tubban then again appealed to all concerned to get the vaccine and proceed to the Capitol Park or any identified vaccination sites in the province to get their jab and booster shots.
“This is the gift of the national government to its people that we may somehow get back to a level of normalcy and end some of our difficulties and suffering,” the governor concluded his message.
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