MANILA - Davao Del Sur came second to the National Capital Region in terms of fresh number of cases on Sunday, as the province still struggles to vaccinate 70% of its population.

"Many areas are geographically isolated, we are only at 38.64 percent, and in Digos City we are only 46.28 percent," Davao Del Sur Governor Marc Cagas said in an interview with ABS-CBN on Wednesday.

The local government unit has been aggressive in its vaccination efforts, particularly in upland areas where indigenous peoples communities are hesitant to get jabbed.

"We go there and give lectures and seminars, and we give incentives like rice to convince them to do the vaccination. We bring the Janssen jab kasi one shot lang ang Janssen, kasi may areas na malalayo," Cagas shared, adding that the response was mostly positive.

(We bring the Janssen vaccine so we don't have to make the trip to the far-flung areas again for them to get fully vaccinated.)

Cagas said that most of the province's cases are asymptomatic or mild to moderate, with a larger portion under home isolation and in temporary treatment and monitoring facilities.

Of the 1,400 cases recorded province-wide, less than a hundred have been admitted, preventing health care utilization from being overwhelmed.

The Davao Del Sur Provincial Hospital is open everyday for those willing to get the COVID-19 jab, and the local government unit has reinforces its efforts with province-wide vaccination days targeting areas with low vaccination rates.

Monday's data showed that Davao Del Sur was overtaken by Cebu in provinces with the most number of daily reported cases.

The Philippines logged an additional 9,493 cases on Tuesday, putting the country's total number of COVID- positive cases at 3,568,665 cases since its first recorded case.