The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is looking to open vaccination sites in various transport terminals such as rail lines, airports, and seaports nationwide as part of efforts to encourage more people to get inoculated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said on Monday, Jan. 24, that the Department aims to replicate the ongoing vaccination drive in the road sector to the rail, aviation, and maritime sectors.
The DOTr kicked off its "We Vax as One: Mobile Vaccination Drive" at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) on Monday which targets to provide 500 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to commuters and transport workers per day, until Jan. 28.
For the rail sector, Tugade said they have already identified at least four stations at the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) as sites of the vaccination program. These are Cubao Station, Shaw Boulevard Station, Boni Station, and Ayala Station.
The agency is also planning to establish inoculation sites in stations of the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2), Tugade added.
"Yung binabaybay ng MRT-3 at LRT-2, nag-identify kami ng mga lugar na kung saan magtatayo kami—of course, sa pagtatayo ng facility nito ay may approval dapat yung DOH (Department of Health) (We have identified stations at the MRT-3 and LRT-3 where we will have the on-site vaccination program. Of course, this should be first approved by the DOH)," Tugade said.
Aside from this, the DOTr chief shared that other vaccination facilities are currently in the works for the aviation and maritime sectors which will be located in Terminal 4 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), and at the North Harbor in Manila.
"The vaccination facility that we will put up in all the sectors of the Kagawaran (Department) will be in accordance with the details, policies, and requirements of DOH," he assured.