Mobile COVID-19 vaccination for commuters, transport workers set at PITX

Syringe/Vaccine (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — A mobile COVID-19 vaccination drive for commuters and transport workers will be held at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) from January 24-28 through a joint initiative of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Dubbed as the “We Vax as One: Mobile Vaccination Drive,” the DOTr said the five-day activity aims to give the AstraZeneca vaccine brand as first, second, or booster doses to qualified recipients. Those receiving their booster shots will be given priority, it added.

DOTr Secretary Art Tugade said in a statement Thursday they plan to give 500 doses of anti-coronavirus vaccine per day at the mobile vaccination site.

“Mahalaga po para sa atin na masigurong bakunado ang ating mga bayaning transport workers, lalo na at iba’t-ibang lugar ang kanilang pinupuntahan, gayundin ang ibang stakeholders at mga commuters na kanilang nakakasalamuha sa araw-araw,” he said.

The mobile vaccination at PITX will run from 8:00 a.m. until 12 noon. Tugade said those who want to be vaccinated should proceed to Gate 4 at the PITX’s 2nd floor.

He also said the vaccination drive is open for walk-in vaccinees with the registration to be done onsite.

To recall, the DOTr led a similar COVID-19 vaccination drive for transport workers for six consecutive weeks at the PITX in July 2021.

Dubbed as “TsuperHero: Kasangga ng Resbakuna,” last year’s vaccination drive was able to vaccinate public utility vehicle drivers, conductors, and other transport workers. Among those who helped during that vaccination campaign were the DOTr Road Transport Sector, Department of Health, Mega Manila Consortium Corporation (MMCC), Parañaque City government, and PITX.

For that event, the MMCC converted five buses of which three were used to inoculate at least 1,000 transport workers every Saturday to reach the minimum target of 6,000 vaccinees.

The Parañaque City government, meanwhile, provided the first batch of vaccines for the July 2021 vaccination drive. The remaining vaccine doses needed were sourced from the national government, under the nationwide vaccination program.