By Lynde Salgados
Correspondent

CAGAYAN de Oro’s vaccination drive went to Barangay Bonbon today, getting a positive response with an overflowing crowd except for the generally unaffected individuals: the “tambay” group.

“Hag-as butangan ‘ta nila’g kagaw nga maayo man atong panglawas. Si Meling man gani nigamot na lang sa hugaw-hugaw lagsik buhi pa gihapon hangtod karon,” said one member of the tambay group, who requested anonymity, referring to the age-old “taong grasa” in the barangay that feeds on left-over foods for survival with no safe corners to sleep from underneath and airborne bacteria.

The group also thrives on the fact that no one from their inner circle got infected with the Covid-19 virus despite their unsafe practices of cigarette-sharing for every stick, one-glass drinking binge, and boodle fight with bare hands and face uncovered when there is a special occasion in the neighborhood.

Waiting on the line at Barangay Bonbon covered court, one taxi driver Paulo Acedera confided he has no choice than to be inoculated “kay dili ta makaadto’g layo sa biyahe.”

Sari-sari store owner Onie Cañete, after bypassing previous vax schedules for senior citizens, finally said he’s now ready to receive a Covid jab.

“Mga duha ka semana paman kining sa Bonbon, didto na ko pag mingaw mingaw na kay motuman ‘ta sa gobyerno,” he said.

Since November 11, the Cagayan de Oro City government prohibited unvaccinated residents from entering malls but exempted minors from the rule.

However, the children must be accompanied by vaccinated adults, according to the city’s Covid-19 Operations Center.

Covid-19 governance cluster head Oliver Egypto, in a statement to the local press, said vaccination cards are now mandatory, replacing the Barangay Exit Passes issued last year by the city government.

Aside from the typical tambays, a conservative group in the city also came out to express disagreement with the existing “No Vax, No Entry” policy of the city government.

“Labaw pa kini sa diktadorya kon mao man galing. Kamo ra pagbakulam diha,” said journalist Joey Nacalaban, who along with Mary Claire Tan, Jeria Miras and Bob Lagumen, sent a “ceased and desist” letters to Mayor Oscar Moreno and Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny Emano and warned them of lawsuits if they made vaccination mandatory.

The national IATF placed the city under Alert Level 2 after the city’s Covid-19 cases significantly dropped last month with only six new infections and no deaths recorded.