Persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in prison facilities managed by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) will be included in the three-day national vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) starting Nov. 29.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said on Sunday, Nov. 28, he was assured of the PDLs’ vaccination by Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., the head of the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19.
Guevarra said he was able to talk to Galvez last Friday night, Nov. 26, “to plead for the vaccination of all vulnerable PDLs in BuCor facilities all over the country.”
“Ever the compassionate man that he is, Secretary Galvez gave me his assurance that my request will be granted,” Guevarra said.
The government aims to have nine million persons vaccinated on the National Vaccination Days set Nov. 29, 30 and Dec. 1.
Last Nov. 19, BuCor disclosed that 35,111 of 48,598 PDLs in its prison facilities have been vaccinated.
There were 9,845 PDLs who had been fully vaccinated and 25,266 who had received their first dose, BuCor said.
Those vaccinated were from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City with 22,134; Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City, 3,100 inmates; the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm (SPPF) in Occidental Mindoro, 600; San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm (SRPPF) in Zamboanga City, 1,716; Leyte Regional Prison (LRP), 822; Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in Davao del Norte, 5,034; and the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm (IPPF) in Palawan, 1,705.