Bacolod City is leading the fight against COVID-19 in Western Visayas, according to National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) co-chairperson, Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles.
“I know that the fight wasn’t easy, but Bacolod City has passed it with flying colors. In fact, right now, there are days that Bacolod has zero cases. That’s why I said that you’re leading the fight [in Region 6],” said Nograles in front of city officials and barangay captains during a ceremonial turnover of 2,000 cooked meals at the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday.
The Cabinet official commended Mayor Evelio Leonardia’s performance in spearheading local efforts to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
According to Nograles, Leonardia’s leadership and Bacolod’s best practices should be emulated by other local chief executives in the country.
“Thank you so much mayor! Thank you so much Bacolod for leading the fight against COVID-19 here in Western Visayas. You have been leading this fight very well,” Nograles said.
He further said: “Bacolod is one of the fastest growing cities [in the country], but you were still able to manage the COVID-19 pandemic – [this] despite the population, density, and the many challenges faced by mayors. Whatever Bacolod is doing in its fight against COVID-19, it should be emulated.”
He also lauded the city’s initiative for vaccine procurement.
Securing COVID-19 vaccines is the first step of the city government’s economic recovery program.
According to Leonardia, a survey conducted by CNN listed Bacolod among the top five cities that secured the biggest number of vaccines from the British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
Nograles, who heads the Zero Hunger Task Force, was in Bacolod to lead the turnover of 2,000 cooked meals to 15 barangays, two charitable organizations, and a quarantine center as part of the Pilipinas Kontra Gutom program.
Pilipinas Kontra Gutom is a collaborative response between and among the national government, local government units, and the private sector to eradicate hunger and ensure quality food to all Filipinos by 2030./WDJ