One of the schools that made their campuses accessible as injection sites is the University of the Philippines Los Baños campus in Laguna. (Photo from UPLB.EDU.PH)
MANILA, Philippines — More public and private universities are now serving as COVID-19 vaccine sites, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) reported Thursday.
Prospero De Vera, CHED commissioner, said 17 more higher educational institutions (HEIs) have been used as vaccination sites.
In the beginning, 17 HEIs offered their facilities for vaccination. Today, 36 HEIs have done so.
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“The Commission lauds these additional 17 HEIs for responding to the call for bayanihan by using HEI facilities as vaccination centers so that more people belonging to the priority groups, including our HEI frontliners will be assured of protection,” De Vera said in a statement.
Most of the HEIs that will be repurposed to vaccination sites are in the Visayas and Mindanao.
In Luzon, Dr. Yanga’s College in Bocaue, Bulacan; and University of the Philippines Los Baños in Laguna are now being used as jab sites.
In the Visayas, Iloilo Science and Technology University, the University of San Agustin and John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University in Iloilo City; Capiz State University in Roxas City, Capiz; and Cebu Institute of Technology-University in Cebu City are likewise being utilized.
Mindanao-based Notre Dame of Dadiangas University and General Santos Doctors Medical Foundation Inc. in General Santos City, South Cotabato; Gov. Alfonso D. Tan College in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental; Davao Oriental State College Science and Technology in Math, Davao Oriental;
Father Saturnino Urios University and Butuan Doctors’ College in Butuan, Agusan del Norte; the University of Southeastern Philippines and University of Immaculate Conception- Bajada Campus in Davao City; Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga del Sur; and Northern Bukidnon State College in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon have also become vaccination sites.
“With this initiative from our HEIs, the country will be assured that when A4 and B1 (vaccination priority lists) come in and the bulk of the vaccines arrive, we would have expanded the vaccination centers”, De Vera said.