Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Monday called on tollway companies to dedicate at least one lane in tollgates for booster shots to increase vaccinations as the country grapples with the Omicron surge.
Moreno said he came up with the idea after several residents from parts of Northern and Southern Luzon traveled up to four hours to Manila to get their booster shots. In Manila, even non-residents can get their booster shots in some dedicated vaccination sites.
READ: Manila Opens 24/7 Drive Thru for COVID Booster Vaccines
"Suggestion lang po, baka makatulong. Drive-thru booster vaccination sa mga toll gate like NLEx, SLEx, TPLEx, Star Tollway, sa entrance and exit. At least one dedicated gate para mas marami tayong maakap at maproteksyunan," he said in a statement on social media.
"Merong demand ang tao, gusto ng tao magpa-booster. So ako lang, idea ko lang, ayoko sila pangunahan pero ang suggestion ko ang PNOC puwede makausap 'yung toll regulatory agency o toll regulatory office, kausapin si Manny Pangilinan o Ramon Ang," he told reporters during the launch of the drive-thru booster vaccination site in Bagong Ospital ng Maynila.
He believes these operators can afford to hire temporary vaccinators for the project which could benefits thousands of Filipinos.
"I know it's not their job, but at the end of the day, it's our country, bansa natin ito. Tayo-tayo lang din naman magmamalasakitan sa isa't isa."
The capital city of Manila has three drive-thru booster vaccine sites: at the Kartilya ng Katipunan for two-wheel vehicles both motorized and non-motorized; at the Quirino Grandstand for private vehicles; and at Bagong Ospital ng Maynila for public utility vehicle drivers.
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