About 54 percent of the target population here have been vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the highest coverage in the Eastern Visayas region.

Mayor Richard Gomez reported during his State of the City Address (SOCA) on Tuesday that some 54,376 residents 18 to 65 years old got complete doses of vaccine.

“The latest data we got from the DOH Eastern Visayas Regional Vaccination Center as of October 14 is that we are number 1 in vaccination coverage with 54 percent of our qualified residents aged 18 above or 88,718 already vaccinated with at least one dose,” Gomez told officials gathered at the Ormoc Superdome.

The mayor said with vaccine donations from the COVAX and the 270,000 AstraZeneca doses purchased by the city government, they have enough vaccines to inoculate all qualified residents 18 to 65 years old.

“We did not blink an eye when the opportunity opened for us to buy the vaccines, even if it was costly. Life is more precious, and no cost should be spared to save each and every Ormocanon as much as possible,” Gomez said.

Early this month, the local government brought the vaccination drive to 39 villages to inoculate the estimated 160,000 general population.

“The national government has also started the vaccination of the general population in the national capital last week. We have already been vaccinating all qualified residents around three weeks ago,” Gomez said.

“I am excited at the prospect that hopefully, we can have a semblance of our past activities soon. I am excited at the thought of being able to have concerts again in our plaza, athletic and tourism events, to bring in tourists so that our hobbled economy can recover soon,” he added.

As of October 11, Ormoc City has recorded 3,330 Covid-19 cases, including 66 deaths.

This week, there are only 51 remaining active cases, according to the mayor.

This was the last SOCA of Gomez as city mayor. He will attempt to swap posts with his wife, 4th Leyte District Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez. (PNA)