Amid open vaccination policy, Isko Moreno assures enough vaccine supply in Manila

FROM THE OFFICE OF MANILA MAYOR ISKO MORENO

MANILA, Philippines — As thousands of both residents and non-residents of Manila trooped to vaccination sites across the city, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Friday assured Manileños that the city government has enough supply of vaccines to complement its aggressive vaccination drive amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.

“I want to re-assure the people of Manila na maraming bakuna. Pumanatag kayo mga kababayan sa Lungsod ng Maynila, marami tayong bakuna,” the 47-year-old local chief executive assured after inspecting the Sta. Ana Hospital COVID-19 Vaccine Storage Facility.

As of Friday noon, Moreno said Manila has an aggregate stock of more than 300,000 doses of vaccines stored in the world-class facility that was established in February last year at the beginning of the vaccination drive against COVID-19.

These include about 179,000 doses of Pfizer; 55,000 of Moderna; 38,000 of AstraZeneca; 6,500 of Janssen; and 3,700 doses of Sinovac.

Moreno made the assurance after thousands of non-Manila residents availed of the city’s open vaccination policy to get booster shots at Divisoria and at the drive-thru booster shot facility at the Bonifacio Shrine.

On its second day, the booster shot night vaccination drive at Divisoria targeted drivers, vendors and delivery boys who came from as far north as Cagayan and Bicol from the south to deliver food products to Metro Manila.

On the other hand, the Bonifacio Shrine drive-thru facility catered to couriers from Grab, Angkas, Lalamove, Shopee, Mr. Speedy, FoodPanda, and Lazada, among others, who are mostly employed in delivering food packages to homes.

Moreno said vaccinating this sector ensures that the food supply chain will not be disrupted despite the ongoing Omicron-driven COVID-19 surge.

“Meron pa tayong resources. We are trying to extend assistance to protect as many as possible, especially sa sector na nagbibigay sa atin ng kasiguraduhan na may chicha tayo. Yan ang importante sa amin at importante sa Metro Manila,” he said.

In the meantime, Moreno reiterated his call for people to get their booster shots or get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“Muli po nanawagan ako bilang ama ng ating Lungsod ng Maynila, magpabakuna kayo sa lalong madaling panahon. Proteksyunan natin ang ating mga sarili, para na rin maproteksyunan ang ating mga mahal sa buhay,” he said.

“Basta umasa kayo na kami, hindi tayo magpapahinga, mauuna kayo lagi, tao muna. May gobyerno sa Manila,” said Moreno.

Earlier, Moreno said that during the peak of Manila’s vaccination drive, between 40,000 and 50,000 people were able to have their first or second dose a day in the various vaccination centers scattered in the six districts of Manila. Then for the next two months after the peak, vaccinations fell to 2,000 a day.

When there was another surge in infections due to the Omicron variant, Moreno said the City of Manila again experienced a renewed interest in getting vaccinated beginning with 7,000 people last Tuesday. On the following day, 16,000 people got their jabs in the evening vaccination in Divisoria.

Moreno also assured that the City of Manila has sufficient supplies of anti-Covid-19 drugs such as Remdesivir, Tocilizumab, Baricitinib and Molnupiravir.

“Sa ating mga kababayan na naghahanap ng gamot, welcome po kayo sa Maynila. Ang importante, mabuhay yung tao, mailigtas yung tao, kahit sino pa siya. Sa Maynila, walang mayaman, walang middle class, walang mahirap. Lahat pantay-pantay. They can avail these medicines. Basta mabuhay lang yung tao,” Moreno said.

“All they have to do is coordinate sa ating Manila Health Department or dun sa mga pinopost naming numero, tawagan lang nila at idedeliver natin at i-eextend natin yung mga gamot laban sa Covid-19. Reseta lang talaga kailangan. Kasi we could not dispense without the prescription,” he added.

Meanwhile, Moreno said they have already recorded 180,000-plus Covid-19 swab test since testing began in July 2020. He encouraged those who want to be tested to go to Manila as they offer free RT-PCR testing.