Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday, June 8, called on the government, as well as the private sector to provide free transportation for senior citizens, persons with disability (PWDs) and indigent residents going to vaccination cites.

The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) could tap the P5.58-billion appropriation for the Service Contracting Program under the Bayanihan to Recover as One or Bayanihan 2 law.

She said this could also provide jobs to public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers who have been displaced by the pandemic.

"There is a critical need to augment the free transportation made available by the government and private sector to cover more senior citizens, persons with disabilities and indigent residents in going to the vaccination sites," Poe said in a statement.

Poe underscored the importance of transportation in the national vaccination program.

The free rides, she said, could also "encourage more of our people to get the shot and expand vaccine access to communities."

"The big task at hand is promoting confidence among our people in the effectiveness and safety of the vaccines to increase uptake, as well as in the government's capacity to manage the logistical challenge that goes with efforts to give the people the shots against the virus," she said.

"Trust should be the main component of our vaccination program. Government must show it will remain with the people's side to see them through the entire vaccination process," she pointed out.

The government said that as of June 6, it has administered 5,965,651 doses of vaccines to frontline healthcare workers (A1), senior citizens (A2), persons with comorbidities (A3) and economic and government frontliners (A4).

Of those vaccinated, 1,520,651 individuals have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.