Has the family of former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas ever offered their resources to boost the country's pandemic response?
For Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, he has no idea about any assistance given by Roxas and his wealthy family as the country battles the coronavirus outbreak.
In a televised press briefing Tuesday, the Palace official claimed he has not heard about any offer to use Araneta Coliseum as a temporary health facility or even as a vaccination site.
Roque mentioned the name of Roxas when asked about the possibility of using existing facilities as vaccination centers before building a new one at the sprawling grounds of Nayong Pilipino in Parañaque City. The government property is being considered as the site of a mega vaccination center amid accelerated efforts to inoculate Filipinos to attain herd immunity this year.
"Hindi ko alam kung ang pamilya ni Mar Roxas ay ever nag-offer ng kanilang Araneta Coliseum (I don't know if the family of Mar Roxas has ever offered their Araneta Coliseum)," Roque said Tuesday, May 11.
"Wala po akong alam na kahit anong COVID-related activities diyan sa Araneta (I don't know any COVID-related activities held in Araneta)," he said.
The Smart Araneta Coliseum, also known as the Big Dome, is a popular indoor entertainment and sports venue located in Araneta Center, Cubao. The massive prime real estate property is owned by the Araneta family, that includes Jorge Araneta and Judy Araneta Roxas. Judy is the mother of former Cabinet Secretary and Liberal Party presidential candidate.
On SM Arena as a possible vaccination center, Roque noted that the retail giant has already taken back its facility that was previously used as a COVID-19 testing site. "Yung SM Arena binawi na ng SM kaya nga natigil na yung mega swabbing don (SM took back SM Arena so the mega swabbing operations have already ceased)," he said.
The Palace, meantime, remained supportive of the use of Nayong Pilipino as a venue for a huge vaccination center despite the proposal to tap available facilities.
He reminded anew the Nayong Pilipino board not to derail the government's plan to vaccinate Filipinos. The goal of the government is to inoculate 70 million adult Filipinos to achieve herd immunity against the coronavirus before the end of the year.
Roque said planned vaccination center would only be temporary since tents will be used for the facility.
"Make-shift yan. Hindi yan permanente (That's a makeshift facility. It won't be permanent). Parang mga tents yan parang ginawa na mga tent facilities na ginagamit na COVID isolation facility diyan sa NP lupain sa reclamation area (Tents will be used in Nayong Pilipino similar to the tent facility used in COVID isolation facility)," he said.
Roque earlier said the planned construction of the vaccination center was part of the President's police power to protect public health. The state-owned Nayong Pilipino also falls under the supervision of the President, he added.
One of the directors of the Nayong Pilipino board earlier resigned after raising concerns against the cutting of trees to make way for the vaccination center in the government property.
"Pakiusap lang po sa Nayong Pilipino Board, sana naman po huwag kayong sumuway doon sa programa ng Presidente na makamit ang herd immunity at payagan nang magtayo ng mega vaccination facility diyan po sa Nayong Pilipino (We appeal to the Nayong Pilipino Board not to defy the President's program to attain herd immunity and allow the construction of a mega vaccination facility in Nayong Pilipino)," Roque said.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier expressed concern that the construction of the facility, which can vaccinate 10,000 people daily, should have started weeks ago but it has been delayed. The construction will be spearheaded by ports and gaming tycoon Enrique Razon Jr.