Nayong Pilipino mega vaccination facility project pushing through — Palace exec

The site of the planned COVID-19 mega vaccination facility in Paranaque City where a quarantine facility also stands.(NAYONG PILIPINO FOUNDATION PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — The planned mega vaccination site at the reclaimed Nayong Pilipino grounds in Parañaque City will push through despite opposition from NPF and other groups, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Thursday.

Nograles said a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to be signed by the Department of Health and the Razon-led ICTSI Foundation, which will construct the facility, is just being ironed out.

“Yes, it is,” Nograles said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if the project will push through.

“Just the MOA to be signed and the MOA is forthcoming, just a few minor technical edits being done. It’s already been vetted by the Department of Tourism [DOT], vetted by the Department of Health. It will be signed very very soon,” he added.

Once the MOA is signed, Nograles said the ICTSI can already start building the facility.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles FILE PHOTO

The NPF board opposed the construction of the vaccination center in the area, saying it would require the cutting of nearly 500 trees.

NPF executive director Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto even resigned due to supposed conflict with Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat over the project.

Nograles, who is co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, allayed concerns that trees will be cut to make way for the vaccination site.

“Wala namang tatamaan na mga puno dyan. When drawings were being made to identify which site ang paglalagyan nung temporary mega [vaccination] site, talagang sinikap nila na hanapin yung pinaka feasible area na walang tatamaan na mga puno,” Nograles said.

(No trees will be affected. When drawings were being made to identify the area of the temporary mega vaccination site, they tried to find the most feasible area where no trees will be affected.)

“The DOT conducted its diligence and based on their report to us, hindi naman po totoo na lush forest na tatamaan dyan,” he added.

(The DOT conducted its diligence and based on its report to us, it’s not true that a lush forest will be affected.)

Malacañang said only temporary makeshift tents would be set up on the NPF grounds.

gsg