MANILA -- The national government's support for the Province of Sulu is one of the factors that allowed the provincial and local government there to maintain its low COVID-19 cases and much improved peace and order situation over the past five years.  

In an interview during the Network Briefing News today, September 14 hosted by Presidential Communications Secretary Martin M. Andanar, Sulu Governor Abdusakur M. Tan expressed his thanks to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for the assistance of the national government during this pandemic and the seamless implementation of the vaccination rollout in the province.

"Maganda ang pagbabakuna rito sa Sulu. In fact, dito sa Sulu nakapagpadala na rito ang pamahalaan na pinamumunuan ni President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, mabilis at pinadalhan kami ng 166,000 doses ng bakuna. [Vaccination is good here in Sulu. In fact, the government led by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has already sent us 166,000 doses of vaccines]," Gov. Tan shared.

In the latest data of the provincial government, around 100,000 people are now vaccinated against COVID-19. They are also eyeing to vaccinate teachers and school staff as soon as possible.

"Ngayon, siguro pupuntahan na namin yung mga [nasa] eskwelahan na puwede nang bakunahan ay babakunahan na natin. Wala po tayong problema sa pagbabakuna at ang mga tao ay receptive, di mo sila kailangang pilitin. ["Now, maybe we will go to those [in] schools, that can already be vaccinated and we will vaccinate them. We don't have any problems with vaccinations and people are receptive, you don't have to force them]," he added.

Low COVID-19 cases

The Sulu governor shared that as of now, there are 11 COVID-19 active cases in the province, he cited a total of 684 cases since the start of the pandemic, while 24 of them died due to complications from the deadly virus.

"Ang cases natin ngayon ay 11 ang active cases natin dito. At 24 lamang ang namatay simula noong umpisa pa ng pandemya. Sa total cases naman, mayroong 684 na confirmed cases dito sa ating lalawigan. [We currently have 11 active cases here. And 24 have died since the pandemic began. In total, there are 684 confirmed cases here in our province]," he pointed out.

The vaccination program in the province is continuing with the help of the Ministry of Health and the Bangsamoro Inter-Agency Task Force (B-IATF) as there are remaining 66,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

The provincial government of Sulu is also eyeing to buy a COVID-19 testing machine to fast-track swab test results while waiting for the machines that will be given by the National Task Force Against COVID-19.

"Sabi ni Secretary Galvez na padadalhan tayo rito ng testing machine for COVID-19 para di na natin kailangang ipadala pa sa Zamboanga City para sa swab test. [Secretary Galvez said that a testing machine for COVID-19 will be sent here so that we do not have to send our swab tests to Zamboanga City to know the results]," he said.

Improved Peace and Order Situation, other Projects

Governor Tan also thanked the national government for its proactive and decisive developments in improving the peace and order situation in the province under the watch of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte since July 2016.

"Kaya tayo nagpapasalamat kay President Rodrigo Roa Duterte na itinayo nya rito ang 11th Division Infantry Battalion ay mga Tausug ang nirecruit, malaking bagay iyan. [We are grateful to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte that he ordered the establishment of the 11th Division Infantry Battalion here. Tausugs were recruited, that's a big thing]," he said.

He also recognized the efforts of the police force there as the Philippine National Police established the Sulu Training Center, Camp Kasim, Jolo, Sulu to train a new breed of young police officers of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Aside from that, the national government also extended medical assistance to the province through the establishment of two (2) Malasakit Centers in the Sulu Provincial Hospital and in the recently opened Sulu Sanitarium.

Other projects and programs to be implemented in Sulu are the Php 200-M project of the national government for a new water system there and free-wifi access in the central hubs through the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

"Pasalamat tayo kay President Duterte dahil sa situation natin ngayon. At masusustain natin ito. [We thank President Duterte for our current situation. And we can sustain it]," Gov. Tan said.

He also thanked the Presidential Communications Operations Office, headed by Sec. Andanar, for giving the opportunity to explain to the public the beauty and current situation of Sulu Province.

"Sa inyo [Sec.] Martin na binigyan nyo kami ng pagkakataon na masabi namin sa buong bansa at sa buong mundo na mali ang perception nila about Sulu - ang ganda ng Sulu. [To you [Sec.] Martin for giving us the opportunity to tell the whole country and the whole world that their perception of Sulu is wrong - Sulu is in fact very beautiful]," he concluded. (PCOO)

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