Sinabi ni Senator Francis Tolentino na dapay ay itinuring ng Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) na ‘frontliners’ ang alkalde ng mga bayan at lungsod.
Kasunod ito ng kontrobersiyang nalikha nang pagpapabakuna ng ilang city at municipal mayors ng COVID 19 vaccines.
“They are the ones really attending to the COVID pandemic on the ground,” diin ng senador.
Dagdag pa ng namumuno sa Senate Committee on Local Government, ang mga gobernador at alkalde ang nagsisilbing ang nagsisilbing chairperson ng Provincial, City, o Municipal Health Boards.
“Mayors and Governors are considered De Facto Health Workers being in charge of health matters in their jurisdictions not to mention their functions in implementing the General Welfare Clause of the Local Government Code,” paliwanag pa ni Tolentino.