The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) expects to achieve in-agency population protection by the end of the year as it continues to inoculate its employees and their dependents from the dreaded coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
media
Communication Secretary Martin Andanar made the statement after the PCOO marked a milestone with the vaccination of 85 percent of all PCOO personnel and its attached agencies nationwide.
In a statement, Andanar stated that the PCOO has made it a goal to vaccinate all of its government personnel and their dependents.
"This is to ensure the unhampered delivery of information, communications, and government services to the Filipino public," he said.
In June 2021, the PCOO management started the vaccination drive of the general population of the agency together with their dependents with the assistance of the National Vaccine Operations Center and the local government units (LGUs) of Manila and Quezon City, and as well as LGUs for the regional offices of PCOO units and agencies nationwide.
According to PCOO Legal Affairs Assistant Secretary Omar Romero, around 3,364 agency personnel and their attached agencies nationwide have been fully vaccinated as of Sept. 27, 2021. The said figure is 84.93 percent of its 3,961-strong workforce.
Data showed that 343 personnel have yet to receive their second dose, while 69 persons voluntarily opted not to be inoculated.
In PCOO proper, 433 employees, or 93.12 of its total workforce, are now fully vaccinated while 15 personnel are waiting to resume the inoculation this coming month.
The Bureau of Communications Services (BCS) is the first PCOO unit to reach population protection this quarter as all of its 119 personnel are now fully vaccinated.
The Presidential Broadcast Staff - Radio Television Malacañang (PBS-RTVM) achieved a high vaccination rate of 98.08 percent or 154 out of 156 personnel. The remaining two are now waiting to receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Central offices of state-run media entities PTV-4 and IBC-13 have reached 92.13 percent and 94.81 percent vaccination rates, respectively.
Other PCOO attached agencies like the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), News and Information Bureau (NIB), APO Production Unit, Inc., and the National Printing Office (NPO) also recorded a high vaccination rates of 88 percent to 90 percent.