Two Catholic prelates expressed openness to the idea of parishes being used as inoculation sites to help the government in its COVID-19 vaccination drive.
"I have no objection in opening our churches that can help," Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco said in an interview Wednesday.
"There is also an ongoing discussion and meeting on how we could work with our local government," he added.
Archdiocese of Manila apostolic administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo is also open to the idea.
"Yes we will (allow the use parishes)," he said.
On Tuesday, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte thanked the Diocese of Novaliches for allowing the use of their big parishes as inoculation sites ahead of the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine in the country.
“With some of our residents expressing hesitancy to be inoculated, the strong support and active participation of the church in the government’s vaccination drive will definitely help raise the confidence and trust of our people in vaccination,” she said in a statement.
Aside from the facilities, the diocese will also help the Quezon city government in mobilizing its parishioners to take part in the city’s vaccination.
The Diocese of Novaliches also agreed to use KyusiPass, the city’s contact tracing application, in their parishes to help the city in its contact tracing efforts.
The city government has been working side by side with the Diocese of Novaliches.
Some of the parishes of the diocese served as the city’s payout sites during the distribution of its Social Amelioration Program.
In July, the city government has also partnered with the diocese in utilizing the 5,000- square meter unused land in Novaliches as a model community farm as part of the city’s food security program.