By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Ninety nine percent of the personnel of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) have already been vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

NOCPPO’s vaccine report was released yesterday morning after the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Dionardo Bernardo Carlos proposed a “no vax, no job” policy.

NOCPPO spokesperson Police Lt. Abegael Donasco said 2,030 of their personnel are now fully vaccinated while 332 have recently received their first dose.

Twenty four of their personnel, meanwhile, have chosen not to get vaccinated. However, Donasco said the personnel have legitimate reasons and they have also executed their waivers.

She added they have not yet received any mandate from the national headquarters regarding the PNP chief ‘s order, although she stated that it would not hinder any of their operations since NOCPPO had posted a high vaccination rate.

Last Monday during the PNP’s weekly press briefing, Carlos said they are currently crafting a memorandum circular to spell out the guidelines in the implementation of the “no vax, no jab” policy.

Carlos said vaccination is no longer a matter of personal choice, but a matter of public interest for the common good.

Data released by the PNP national headquarters as of December 6 showed that 1,808 of their personnel nationwide are not yet vaccinated, with various reasons such as due to medical conditions, pregnancy-related, or due to religious reasons.

The data also include 900 other PNP personnel who cannot yet provide a reasonable excuse as to why they refuse to get vaccinated./DGB, WDJ