Thousands of young girls received free anti-cervical cancer vaccines in Laoag City.

The two-day vaccination campaign continues until Thursday, July 10, with the goal of inoculating at least 3,000 girls citywide.

“This is a huge step in safeguarding the health of our young girls and their mothers,” said Laoag City Mayor James Bryan Alcid.

Alcid emphasized that cervical cancer vaccination typically costs as much as P6,000 per individual, underscoring the importance of the free program in easing the financial burden on families.

He also reiterated his administration’s health-centered agenda, which includes the continuous modernization of the Laoag City General Hospital through upgraded medical equipment and a push to elevate the hospital to Level 2 classification.

“A healthy city is a progressive city,” Alcid said, adding that preventive healthcare will always be a key investment of his administration.

Despite the success of the vaccination program, Wednesday’s rollout was overshadowed by a tragic incident at Ilocos Norte National High School.

According to initial reports, a woman who was accompanying her granddaughter for vaccination collapsed on-site.

Emergency responders from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the City Health Office immediately rushed to administer aid and transported her to the nearest hospital.

Unfortunately, she was declared dead on arrival. The cause of death remains unconfirmed as of posting time.