URBANFOREST The quarantine facility at the Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) property in Entertainment City, Parañaque City, is already the biggest in Metro Manila, but the Department
of Tourism has endorsed the further construction of a “megavaccination” complex. Around 500 trees will be felled to give way to the planned vaccination center, according to NPF Executive
Director Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto. —NAYONG PILIPINO FOUNDATION PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday he supports the planned construction of a mega vaccination center on the grounds of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) property in Parañaque City.
Duque stressed the need to set up huge vaccination sites to ramp up the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in the country.
“I have already agreed in principle that this facility will be used temporarily as a huge vaccination center to speed up our vaccination coverage. We really need big areas to ramp up our coverage,” he told ABS-CBN News Channel.
“I said I will support the conversion of that area into a huge vaccination site,” he added.
Duque’s remark echoes the earlier statement of Malacañang supporting the planned construction of the large vaccination site.
The NPF has opposed the construction of the vaccination center in the area, saying it would require the cutting of nearly 500 trees. Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto, NPF executive director, even resigned due to a conflict with Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat over the project.
Malacañang, however, later said that the planned vaccination center will only be composed of temporary makeshift tents.
Duque, meanwhile, noted that there are also other initiatives to put up vaccination centers in other areas to speed up inoculation amid the persisting threat of COVID-19.
“St. Lukes is also looking beyond its hospital confines. There is an area I think in BGC (Bonifacio Global City) Taguig where they plan to put up, and I think there are several initiatives along that line and we support all of these initiatives,” he said.