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Easing of curbs in La Trinidad hinges on higher vax turnout

By Liza Agoot

December 13, 2022, 5:39 pm

<p>La Trinidad, Benguet Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan <em>(PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)</em></p>

La Trinidad, Benguet Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Residents in this capital town are urged to get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) or report if they got vaccinated in another place.

Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan, in a phone interview Tuesday, said the town's low vaccination turnout is among the reasons why it is placed under the stricter Alert Level 2.

Except for the municipalities of Buguias and Tublay, the 11 other towns of Benguet and capital La Trinidad are still under Alert Level 2.

This means some establishments are still covered by restrictions on operations.

"Although it is difficult considering that there are still others who are not convinced, we will continue to encourage our townmates. The bars and restaurants serving liquor cannot operate for 24 hours because it is prohibited by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) guidelines for areas still under Alert Level 2," he said.

He added that the covered establishments can only operate up to midnight.

While they have yet to see the actual number of covered establishments, Awingan said they know that there are music bars that are operating in the town.

"They cannot fully recover with a limited operation," he said.

Awingan also shared that one of the reasons they have a low vaccination rate is its proximity to Baguio City which has accommodated non-residents including the town's residents.

"We ask that residents who have been vaccinated in other places to at least inform their barangay officials so that we can also adjust our numbers and add them to the report," he said.

He added that it might be hard for them to achieve a good vaccination accomplishment as most are included in other areas as their place of vaccination.

“Our residents who were very eager to be vaccinated had to go to their relatives in Baguio that made them avail of the vaccines, but in turn, reducing the town’s accomplishment,” he added. (PNA)

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