When people say that Pasig City is a “different country,” no one butts in and argues. Since Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto’s reign started in 2019, his name has been on the headlines of local news agencies for all the good reasons. 

During his first year, Sotto has managed to curb corruption in Pasig, saving at least P150 million in just a span of five months. 

The Mayor is also known for his empathy with the working class. In 2020, Sotto was able to regularize 100 city hall workers, making them permanent employees of the local government.

Moreover, Sotto was keen on providing aid for people affected by the COVID-19 lockdowns. In the early months of the pandemic, Pasigueños–rich or poor–received P16,000 financial aid from the LGU.

In a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, January 26, he announced that Pasig City is the first local government unity (LGU) in the country to have its vaccination plan approved by the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

“I was told that Pasig is the First LGU with a DOH /WHO-approved vaccination plan!!” the tweet said.

“Our LGU’s Beat Covid-19 Task Force will continue to work with our national government agencies, WHO, private medical institutions, and NGOs. They’ve been with us every step of the way,” Sotto said.

I was told that Pasig is the First LGU with a DOH/WHO-approved vaccination plan!! ✅✅✅

Our LGU's Beat Covid-19 Task Force will continue to work with our national government agencies, WHO, private medical institutions, and NGOs. They've been with us every step of the way. pic.twitter.com/BFeMC337ZJ

— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) January 26, 2021

In the vaccination plan shared by Sotto, it can be seen that Pasig City’s medical frontliners, estimated to be around 5,930, will be the first to be vaccinated. 

The group will be followed by the indigent senior citizens, remaining senior citizems, remaining indigent population (including persons with disabilities), and uniformed personnel. 

In the local government’s estimates, there are about 80,000 citizens in the city, 107,291 indigents, and 2,691 uniformed personnel.These numbers add up to a total of 195,912 residents who will be prioritized for Covid-19 vaccination.

The city has so far allocated P300 million for the vaccination of its residents. It has also secured 400,000 doses from the British-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca, which is estimated to benefit more or less 200,000 Pasigueños.

The vaccination sites are set to be established in 16 Pasig schools, five hospitals, and the Tanghalang Pasigueño which can hold more than 1,300 people before the quarantine. 

Sotto assured that each of these sites will be manned by a team composed of at least 74 medical and non-medical personnel.

Pasig City’s pre-vaccination plans also include information dissemination, and the implementation of post-vaccination measures which focuses on monitoring people who received shots for possible side effects. 

So far, there are already 51 LGUs that announced the amount of funding they are ready to roll out to provide citizens with free COVID-19 vaccination.