At least 5,000 public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and conductors at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) are expected to get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as part of the inoculation program for transport workers of the Department of Transportation's (DOTr).
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade led on Saturday, July 31, the launching of the "TsuperHero Kasangga ng Resbakuna" Vaccination Program which aims to protect drivers, conductors, and other transport workers in the landport amid the ongoing pandemic.
"Importante po sa akin na mabakunahan ang ating mga bayaning transport workers, lalo na at iba't-ibang lugar ang kanilang pinupuntahan, gayundin ang mga taong kanilang nakakasalamuha sa araw-araw (It is important to vaccinate our transport workers, especially that they go to different places and meet different people every day)," Tugade said in his Facebook post.
According to Tugade, the DOTr initially converted five buses from the Mega Manila Consortium Corporation (MMCC) as mobile vaccination sites for the transport workers.
At least 1,000 transport workers are targeted to get their jabs every Saturday in PITX until they meet the projected numbers of beneficiaries under the program, the DOTr chief added.
The masterlist of transport workers to get vaccinated is also being finalized by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC).
Tugade said the 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines have been allocated by the Parañaque City local government unit for the program, while the remaining 4,000 will come came from the national allocation with the help of Metro Manila Center for Health Development.
The DOTr chief noted that the program aims to bring the vaccination sites closer to drivers, conductors, and other transport workers to ensure they are safe and protected against COVID-19.
He likewise reminded drivers and conductors, as well as public transport passengers, to continue observe strict health and safety protocols especially with the threat of the dreaded Delta variant.