PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVE. Some members of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (FCCC) Bohol are shown with provincial officials during the arrival of Sinovac vaccines for the economic frontliners. The vaccines arrived on July 7, 2021. From left are: FCCC-Bohol Secretary Richard U. Lim, FCCC President Engr. Albert M. Uy, Gov. Arthur Yap, Provincial Health Office officer-in-charge Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez, Dr. Vincent L. Yap, FCCC Treasurer, Atty Warren L.Yap Jr & FCCC Vice Pres.  Edilfonso Uy. Contributed photo

The first private sector-led vaccine rollout for economic frontliners started on Friday, July 9, 2021 and is slated to culminate on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at the Bohol Wisdom School (BWS). 

The rollout used vaccine supply procured through the efforts of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCII).

The activity is being conducted under the auspices of the Bohol Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Bohol Wisdom School in partnership with the Provincial Health Office of the provine of Bohol, according to Engr. Albert Uy, the President of the Board of Trustees of Bohol Wisdom School and the Bohol Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Indutry.

According to Uy, the national FFCCII is able to do this project with the help of Domingo H. Yap, the immediate past president of the said organization, as facilitated by Gov. Arthur Yap.

Bohol received a portion of the 500,000 doses of the Sinovac-made Coronavac vaccine procured by the FFCCII, Uy said.

Uy said the current vaccine rollout aims to inoculate at least 1,241 economic frontliners who under the A4 category using 2,482 doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac anti-Covid vaccine which arrived in the province on Wednesday, July 7, 2021.  

The vaccine supply already took into consideration the provision for a second dose, which will be administered 28 days after the first dose.

Uy thanked the City Health Office of Tagbilaran for having designated BWS as the  vaccination site. He also thanked the Provincial Health Office for allowing the storage of the vaccines in its freezer facility. 

Uy explained that employers paid for the vaccines that are given free of charge to the employees. The cost of the vaccine is P1,000 per dose, Uy said in a radio interview over Open Forum radio program on Friday, hosted by Ardy Araneta-Batoy, Atty. Greg Austral and Dave Albarado.

Uy stressed that the private sector plans to procure more vaccines for economic frontliners to hasten the revival of the local economy. 

At the same time, Uy urged the public to get vaccinated as the private sector will help in the information and education campaign to raise awarness about the importance of getting vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the officers and members of the Bohol Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Bohol Wisdom School family  would like to express their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Gov. Arthur C. Yap, Dr. Cesar Tomas “Yul” Lopez , Machi Caliao and the Provincial Health Office (PHO) staff , Dr. Jeia Pondoc of City Health Office, Dr. Ma. Portia Reyes of Bohol Provincial Department of Health (DOH) office , volunteer doctors , nurses , support staff and to the Escalona family of Our Deli Bread for making the activity a great success.