Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero is calling on authorities to make plans for the inoculation of the homeless and street children who have no access to the life-saving vaccines to ensure that they are also safe and protected against the COVID-19 virus.
Escudero noted the presence of these marginalized segments of society continue to increase during the Christmas season, especially in Metro Manila, asking for help from motorists and the commuting public, which make them more vulnerable and at risk of getting infected with the deadly virus.
While the National Capital Region has already achieved herd immunity as more than 100 percent of Metro Manila’s target eligible population are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 per the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Escudero said streets dwellers, mostly concentrated in the metropolis, should not be left out of the inoculation program.
“Gusto kong malaman kung ang ating mga kababayan na nabubuhay sa kalsada, kasama na ang mga batang kalye, ay nababakunahan o nabakunahan na? Hindi sila dapat kalimutan dahil mahalaga rin ang kanilang kalusugan,” said Escudero, who is seeking a Senate seat in the May 2022 national elections.
“Bagama’t kailangan ng pangmatagalang solusyon upang sila ay maialis sa kalsada, we have to make sure that the government is looking after their protection which, of course, includes the much-needed COVID-19 vaccines,” he added.
According to available data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, there are some 4.5 million homeless people or living in informal settlements in the country, as of 2018. About 3 million of them are in Metro Manila.
Street children, meanwhile, comprise about 1-3% of the children and youth population of the major cities in the Philippines, data from non-government organization hope.org.ph showed. The NCR alone is home to an estimated 30,000 street children out of the 250,000 nationwide who are considered most vulnerable and at risk.
“Sa paglilimos nila sa kalsada ay nalalagay na sila sa panganib, lalo na ngayon na may may banta pa ng coronavirus,” Escudero said, as he appealed to local government units and the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 to look into the plight of the street dwellers.
“Dapat isama sa pagbabakuna ang mga batang kalye at mga walang natutuluyan dahil sila rin ay parte at bahagi ng lipunan at kasama sa pagbangon ng buong bansa sa pandemya,” he added.