Poe urges gov’t, private sector: Provide free rides to vaccination sites

VACCINATION OF ECONOMIC FRONTLINERS Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos leads the inoculation of tricycle drivers, vendors and media practitioners belonging to the A4 priority group at Mandaluyong City Medical Center Mega Vaccination Site on Monday, June 7. Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Grace Poe urged the national government and the private sector to provide free transportation to the vaccination sites, especially for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and indigent residents.

Poe, who chairs the Senate committee on social services, said that the program will not only provide free rides to the needy sectors but also offer jobs to drivers displaced by the pandemic.

“Transportation is an important piece that must not be overlooked as the government implements the national vaccination program. It should not be a barrier to health care,” Poe said in a statement.

“Free rides will encourage more of our people to get the shot and expand vaccine access to communities,” she added.

Poe said the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) P5.58-billion Service Contracting Program under the Bayanihan 2 law could be tapped for the free transportation program.

“The big task at hand is promoting confidence among our people in the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines to increase uptake, as well as in the government’s capacity to manage the logistical challenge that goes with efforts to give the people the shots against the virus,” Poe said.

“Trust should be the main component of our vaccination program. Government must show it will remain with the people’s side to see them through the entire vaccination process,” the senator added.

The Philippine government has so far administered 5.95 million COVID-19 vaccine doses–of which 4.4 million are first doses. A total of 1.54 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated.

JE