Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso greets motorists availing of the drive-thru booster vaccination at the Quirino Grandstand on Thursday, January 13, 2022. Photo from the Manila Public Information Office
MANILA, Philippines — Manila City’s drive-thru vaccination site at the Quirino Grandstand has been expanded as it opened on Thursday administration of booster shots to owners of four-wheel vehicles.
Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso inspected the ongoing “Booster Shot Caravan” and said the initiative of the local government is open to all motorists.
“Due to the request of our constituents and the people, i-innovate natin itong vaccination drive-thru dito sa Luneta. Imbes na first dose at second dose lang, gagamitin natin siya ngayon na drive-thru booster vaccination site para sa 4-wheel vehicles,” the 47-year-old local chief executive said,
According to Moreno, the facility will open from 8 a.n. to 5 p.m. daily and aims to inject booster doses to 1,500 people each day.
The facility, he added, will accommodate 300 vehicles – with a maximum of five passengers – a day, on a first-come, first-served basis.
He said those who cannot be accommodated for the day will be given numbers that will be used on the following day.
“Mga jeep, taxi, private cars, maski Grab, dalhin po ninyo ang inyong pamilya, at mga negosyante, dalhin po niyo mga empleyado ninyo. Puwede po kayong magtungo dito sa Luneta,” Moreno said, noting that the only requirement they need is for recipients to show their vaccination cards, either digital or physical, that were issued by the city of Manila or their respective local government units.
“Kikilalanin namin ‘yung mga vaccination card ng taga-Metro Manila, taga-Bulacan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Ilocos, Bicol… lahat ng nakakapalibot sa NCR. Kahit taga-saan kayo, tatanggapin namin ‘yung inyong vaccination card. At kayo ay babakunahan ng booster shot,” he explained.
“We welcome you to the City of Manila. Basta tayo tulong-tulong muna, ang importante ma-booster ‘yung tao, mabakunahan ‘yung tao para maiwasan ang kamatayan sa infection ng COVID-19,” he also said.
A motorist receives a booster dose of an anti-coronavirus vaccine at the Quirino Grandstand on Thursday, January 13, 2022. Photo from the Manila Public Information Office
The drive-thru vaccination site for four-wheel vehicles at the Quirino Grandstand opens on the heels of the two-wheel vehicles drive-thru facility at the Kartilya ng Katipunan, also known as Bonifacio Shrine, which the local government described as “very successful.”
At the two-wheel vehicles drive-thru facility, motorcycle riders from Grab, Angkas, Lalamove, Shopee, Mr. Speedy/Borzo, Food Panda, and Lazada, and even those using bicycles, were accommodated.
Mass vaccinations are also ongoing at city health centers, designated schools, shopping malls, and other special sites.
On Tuesday, Moreno ordered the administration of booster shots for thousands of construction workers employed in all ongoing projects of the city government.
“So ngayon, palalakasin pa natin, palalawakin pa natin, ilalapad pa natin ang yakap. Yayakapin natin hangga’t kaya nating yakapin kahit sino, kahit taga-saan. Basta importante, tao muna, mabuhay ang tao, maligtas ang tao, maligtas kayo,” he said.
“Ang importante, mabilis ang kilos, tunay na solusyon, mabilis ang aksyon. Yun lang ang importante, bakuna, bakuna, bakuna. Kung sino ang gustong magpa-bakuna, titirahin natin,” he added.
Moreno then urged those who are still unvaccinated against COVID-19 to get their shots as soon as possible.
Motorists line up aboard their four-wheeled vehicles at the drive-thru booster vaccination site in the Quirino Grandstand in Manila City on Thursday, January 13, 2022. Photo from the Manila Public Information Office
“Magpabakuna na kayo. This is about the protection of your family, of your neighbors, of our community, of our city, and of our country,” he stressed.
He warned that the city government is already prepared to implement an ordinance that will strictly limit the movements of unvaccinated people, as agreed by all mayors in Metro Manila.
“We are about to publish (ordinance). Gusto kong iparamdam sa inyo na may gobyerno, na inuunawa kayo, but at the end of the day, ang lahat ng bagay ay may tuldok. I hope makinig ‘yung mga taong hindi pa nagdedesisyon,” Moreno said.
“Kung kinakailangan na proteksyonan natin ang higit na nakararami, sa ating kababayan na nagdesisyon, nagmalasakit sa sarili at tumugon sa pamahalaan, at naki-isa sa pamayanan na nagpabakuna, then I think it’s high time to police those who are unvaccinated and to regulate their movements to protect others,” he likewise said.