MANILA - Quezon City has fully vaccinated some 1.7 million people or 80 percent of its eligible adult population, its mayor said Wednesday.

Around 1.9 million adults or 90 percent of the target population have received an initial dose, according to Mayor Joy Belmonte.

The largest city in Metro Manila also aims to inoculate 14,000 children daily as it hopes to administer the jab to 240,000 kids aged 12 to 17 by end of the month, she added.

"Hopefully with the proper supplies by government ay matapos na natin itong mga kabataan natin (we will be able to finish children's vaccination) by end of November," Belmonte told ANC's Headstart.

The mayor said she would push for the resumption of in-person classes as "many children are unable to adjust to online learning."

The local government has recommended two schools for the pilot resumption of face-to-face classes, Belmonte said.

"Ako talagang I advocate for face-to-face classes the soonest possible time provided that safe ang mga bata pagpasok nila sa paaralan," she said.

The city government is also working on the hiring of more guidance counselors as there are only 20 in 150 schools, according to Belmonte.

"Tumaas talaga ng numero ng mga batang nagkaroon ng depression, anxiety at stress...'Yung mga bata wala rin silang malapitan, makausap kasi yung mga nanay nila meron na ring mental anxiety," she said.

(The number of children with depression, anxiety and stress rose...They also cannot talk to their mothers, who have also gotten mental anxiety.)

"I also do know that tumaas ang bilang ng domestic violence by 66 percent, ito ang datos na binigay ng Quezon City Police District sa amin."

(I also do know that domestic violence rose by 66 percent, according to data given by the Quezon City Police District.)

The city is also ready to open its public parks if the capital region is downgraded to Alert Level 2 after Nov. 14, the mayor added.

Currently, the QC Memorial Park is open to joggers and "children to run around" with a maximum capacity of 80 percent, Belmonte said.

"I'm very strong on this advocacy na kailangan yung mga bata pwede nang lumabas dahil tumataas talaga ang mental health cases namin dito," she said.

(I'm very strong on this advocacy that children need to be allowed outdoors because the number of our mental health cases really increased.)

Belmonte added that she believes face shields should no longer be required outdoors.

"Most people tend to wear their face shield as their head band, it doesn’t actually work for the purpose which it serves, just for compliance," she said.

The city, which won a Galing Pook award for urban farming, has some 300 farms which were its source of food during previous lockdowns, Belmonte added.

The mayor, meantime, said she would focus on her job as her opponents began to campaign.

"I'm not going to sacrifice my job just because some people are doing early campaigning. I'd like to think I have a solid performance that can convince people to believe in me for the next couple of years," she said.

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