As part of its efforts to support the national vaccination program of the government, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) continues to deploy its “Bakuna” buses and opens vaccination centers in various locations nationwide.
On Tuesday, Sept. 28, the PRC once again deployed its “Bakuna Bus” to the province of Cavite which aims to inoculate 722 residents from Cypress-Gen. Trias Cavite and Buhay Tubig, Imus.
Under the directive of PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard Gordon, all “Bakuna Buses” are deployed to various areas.
These buses were provided by its partners including Victory Liner, UBE Express, Ceres Liner to different locations in Luzon and the Visayas to hasten vaccination efforts by the PRC.
“Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa ating mga bus donors upang mas mapabilis ang ating pagbabakuna sa mga most vulnerable families. Sa pamamagitan ng ating bakuna buses, mas maabot natin ang malalayong lugar at mababakunahan ang mga tao nang sa gayon ay maprotektahan sila kontra COVID-19,” according to Chairman Sen. Dick Gordon.
“I am thankful to our bus donors for expediting our vaccination of the most vulnerable families,” Gordon said. “With our vaccination buses, we can reach more remote areas and vaccinate people so that they can be protected against COVID-19,” he added.
Meanwhile, PRC also opened its 23rd “Bakuna Center” at the Light Industry Science Park II (LSPI) in Barangay Real, Calamba City on Sept. 17 to cater to the A4 category as essential workers within the economic zone.
As of Sept. 27, more than 700 individuals have been vaccinated against COVID-19 using Sinovac.
PRC Laguna Chapter Administrator Frank Gray Sorromero explained that the chapter was catering initially to about 300 clients a day. “But we target to boost our number of clients to 500 a day in the weeks to come depending on the vaccine supply the chapter receives from the LGU,” he added.
To help the government curb the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the PRC targets to vaccinate one-hundred percent of LSPI's 13,000 employees, according to the Laguna Chapter.
“As there are still many employees who weren't able to get vaccinated in their LGUs, we aim to vaccinate them as they are in the A4 category as essential workers,” Gordon said.
“At the same time, there is a need to vaccinate them right away since many are minimum wage earners and do not work from their homes,” he added.
Calamba City is considered one of the premiere industrial hubs outside Metro Manila. The humanitarian organization plans to expand its vaccination initiative aiming to open another “Bakuna Center” in the city catering to more essential workers.
The new PRC “Bakuna Center” in Calamba will be open three days a week from Thursday to Saturday depending on the availability of vaccines procured from the government.
Likewise, one of the “Bakuna Buses” from Victory Liner was also deployed to the Laguna Chapter which has catered to more than 3,400 individuals as of Sept. 27 in different areas around Laguna since it was first deployed last August.
The humanitarian organization, an auxiliary to the government, helps in the vaccination efforts of the LGUs. Nevertheless, PRC handles all operating expenses from the gasoline, maintenance, and volunteer allowance to continuously operate, especially its mobile vaccination clinics.