Mayor Isko suggests use of toll booths for drive-thru booster vaccinations

Manila mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso is urging the national government and tollway companies to dedicate one or two lanes leading to Metro Manila as drive-thru booster shot facilities.

“Meron lang akong panawagan, idea lang, magsi-share lang ako ng idea, baka makita lang ng ibang government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) na pwede nilang gawin, lahat ng toll gate pwedeng drive-thru yung isang lane. Just imagine all the exits (I would like to share an idea, maybe some (GOCCs) can see what they can do to convert one lane at all toll gates into a drive-thru vaccination facility),” Domagoso said during his visit to the Bagong Ospital ng Maynila on Monday, Jan. 17.

Domagoso said the idea came up after seeing thousands of non-Manila residents coming from different parts of Luzon going to various vaccination centers in the city just to get vaccinated.

“The data will not lie, may pumupunta nga sa amin, taga-Mariveles, Bataan. Dulo na ng Bataan yun, about 3 to 4 hours drive to Manila, plus the number of hours lining up for shots at the Luneta driver-thru booster facility. Ibig sabihin, merong demand ang tao, gusto ng tao na magpa-booster (People, even from Mariveles, Bataan, are coming to us. It's the farthest town in Bataan, about 3 to 4 hours drive to Manila, plus the number of hours lining up for shots at the Luneta driver-thru booster facility. This means, people have demand, people want to get boosted),” he said.

Domagoso said the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) can ask Filipino tycoons Manny Pangilinan and Ramon Ang who own private companies that manage the major toll roads like the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx), Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR Tollway), Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx), and Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEx), to use at least one lane of their toll gates for booster shots.

He believes that these corporations have the financial capacity to hire temporary vaccinators.

“I am just saying that if we really wanted to, kung pare-pareho tayo ng antenna, kung gusto nating proteksyonan ang tao, it’s just a mere suggestion. Wala naman kasi akong otoridad over the toll . (I am just saying that if we really wanted to, if we are on the same wavelength, if we want to protect the people, this just a mere suggestion. I have no authority over the toll (operators). But given the chance, I’ll do that, why not?,” Domagoso said.

The Manila mayor assured that the efforts of the city government in its vaccination campaign will not stop.