By Froilan Gallardo, Special Correspondent . THE local government here began vaccinating its senior citizens aiming to protect its elderly population from the deadly Covid-19. As of 5pm Thursday, more than 1,000 senior citizens, including Mayor Oscar Moreno and prominent political figure Reuben Canoy, received their first doses of the life-sustaining vaccine. Moreno received his jab at the J.R. Borja General Hospital here while Canoy, accompanied by his daughter, Rhona, got his at the Bulua Elementary school in Barangay Bulua, this city. The city government designated three mass vaccination centers in J.R. Borja General Hospital here; the Bulua Elementary school in Barangay Bulua; and the SM Downtown Premier in this city. Maricel Casino-Rivera, Cagayan de Oro City Information officer, said health officers used the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine for the two-day inoculation. Rivera said city health officials were able to hit its target of vaccinating 1,000 elderlies and plans to jab 600 more senior citizens on Friday. There are 46,000 senior citizens in Cagayan de Oro. Those given the first dose of the Sinovac vaccine Thursday will be given the second dose one month later. Senior citizens have been receiving terse text messages that they would be qualified for inoculation and advising them where to go for vaccination. “Greetings Higala (Friend). This is your vaccination schedule. Date: April 29, 2021 (Thursday). TIME: 11:00AM-12:00PM. Facility: J.R. Borja General Hospital.” The text messages from the Cagayan de Oro Covid-19 crisis center also advised the recipients to bring their valid ID and medical certificates. Department of Health Region 10 spokesperson Emiliano Galban said the DOH gave the 1,500 doses to the city government after it successfully reached 85 percent performance in vaccinating the A1 group that included medical front liners and barangay health workers. Mayor Moreno said he would ask the DOH in Manila to allot more vaccines in the city.