The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) welcomed the increase in vaccine confidence to 51 percent of adult Filipinos, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said this is a significant improvement from as low as 32 percent last year.

“We can confirm this in the 3,688 vaccination centers where vaccinations are going strong and our A2 and A3 vaccinees are trooping to the vaccination centers with the help of our barangay officials,” he said in a news release on Sunday.

He said the key to the increase in vaccine confidence was the concerted efforts of both national and local governments, the medical community, and other stakeholders to educate and inform the public about the benefits of vaccination and why it’s important to the government’s overall strategy to end the pandemic.

“The increase in vaccine confidence is also confirmed by our daily vaccinations which have reached 229,600 vaccinations a day nationwide. Our 7-day Moving Average of Vaccinated Individuals has also increased to 108,540 as of May 18 which is a marked improvement from 67,780 as of May 11,” he said.

Malaya said to be able to continue the positive trend, local government units (LGUs) need to increase social mobilization in the barangays.

“We are urging barangays to conduct more house-to-house or mobile registration to assist people with no internet connection or with no gadgets so that they can register,” he said.

He said LGUs may also tap homeowners’ associations and other community-based organizations to help in the education and registration campaign.

As part of the intensified information and education campaign, LGUs also need to organize more vaccination town hall meetings featuring doctors and other medical experts to speak about the benefits of vaccination.

“LGUs may tap their local medical associations for the conduct of these town hall meetings where doctors and other influencers can speak about vaccination,” he said.

The DILG has issued Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2021-019 signed by Secretary Eduardo Año directing all LGUs to conduct Vaccination Demand Generation and Communications Activities to increase vaccine confidence in communities.

Under this MC, LGUs are directed to organize a Vaccination Demand Generation Team as part of the Local Covid-19 Task Force to handle the conduct of demand generation activities and social mobilization programs. (PNA)