Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday urged fisherfolk and teachers to support the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination program to help the country’s economic recovery.

Lacson made the call in separate activities for the distribution of the provincial government’s assistance to both sectors held at the Provincial Capitol and the Panaad Park here.

“Be open about Covid-19 vaccine for your own protection, and to be able to move forward towards more economic activities,” he said in his message to fisherfolk and farmers during the turn-over of PHP1.298 million worth of projects at the Capitol building lobby.

The projects, which were facilitated by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, included sustainable livelihood, marketing fund assistance, and fishing paraphernalia for agri-fishery organizations and rural women groups from various cities and municipalities.

The recipients included the Buluangan Fisherfolk Association Inc. and Caimito Marginal Fisherfolk Association of San Carlos City; Washington Coastal Protectors and Seaweeds Farmers Associations of Escalante City; Guiwanon Small Fisherfolk Association of Sagay City; Small Fishermen Association of Barangay IX, Victorias City; Yubo Women and Farm Workers Association of La Carlota City; Can-itom Integrated Fisherfolk Association of Bago City; Barangay Robles Farmers Association of La Castellana; Punta Batang Talaba Grower Association and Purok Aloe Vera Small Fishermen Association of Himamaylan City.

“I hope these projects will be a big help to your organizations. Use the projects well for the improvement of your livelihood. The chairpersons of each organization should lead with transparency and good management,” Lacson told the recipients.

On Saturday, Lacson also asked the teacher-scholars of the provincial government to support the Covid-19 vaccination program.

“This is for us to slowly recover and move forward towards development,” he said during the distribution of stipend to 998 teachers who belonged to Batch 2 of the Project Flagships to Reach Educational Excellence-Paglaum at the Panaad Park.

The activity was facilitated by the Negros Occidental scholarship program and the Provincial Treasurer’s Office.

The provincial government aims to vaccinate some 1.5 million Negrenses, which is 70 percent of the province’s population. (PNA)