The Department of the Interior and Local Government is urging the country's village chiefs to enforce schemes that will convince their constituents to be fully-vaccinated and receive booster shots against Covid-19.
During the conduct of the Barangay Assembly Days, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. prodded the country's 42,046 barangay captains to intensify efforts in their vaccination drives as the Covid-19 vaccines and booster shots are available for 2022 second semester scheduled on any weekends in October.

"We call on the punong barangays and other officials to fulfill their mandate and conduct Barangay Assembly Days. I hope the barangays use this opportunity to talk to their constituents and encourage them to be vaccinated and boosted against Covid-19," Abalos said.

"Use this as an avenue to inform your constituents of the undertakings and accomplishments of your barangays and discuss issues and concerns and plans for the future," he added.

The DILG chief added that village chiefs must take advantage of the Barangay Assembly to discuss the advantages of getting boosted and vaccinated against Covid-19 and invite the citizens to partake in the government vaccination campaigns such as "PinasLakas."

He also stressed that the punong barangays must inform the public that Covid-19 booster shots are now accessible in their workplace, transportation terminals and drugstores, among others.

To recall, Department of Health records showed that 20,195,895 Filipinos have been administered with the Covid-19 booster shots while 73,342,216 have complete initial vaccination status and 70,756,003 had their first doses.

Abalos reminded village chiefs to hold Barangay Assembly Days as they are mandated by the law to ensure the conduct of such saying that this may be conducted through face-to-face, online or blended modes.

The Local Government Code and Proclamation 599, series of 2018 state that barangays are required to conduct barangay assembly for each semester of the year on any of the Saturdays or Sundays of March and October to hear and discuss the semestral report of the Sangguniang Barangay concerning its activities, finances and issues.

For the second semester of 2022, the Barangay Assembly Day theme is "Barangayanihan: Barangay at Mamamayan Sama-sama sa Pagtaguyod ng Bayanihan Tungo sa Mas Ligtas at Maunlad na Pamayanan," which is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s call for unity in community-building.

"This assembly is for our people to know the state of the community so it is important to engage your constituents and encourage them to vent out their concerns and problems in order for us in the government to be able to address it," Abalos said.