Makati opens 5 more venues for COVID jabs

The Makati City government on Monday announced it will open five new venues for its free vaccination program starting today to accommodate thousands of senior citizens.

Mayor Abigail Binay says the local government has already completed installing equipment and materials at the vaccination sites: the barangay covered courts of Bel-Air, Forbes Park, San Lorenzo, and Urdaneta and the Asia Pacific College in Barangay Magallanes.

“With the arrival of a new batch of vaccines from the national government, these additional vaccination sites will speed up the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to thousands of Makatizens who have registered online for Bakuna Makati. Over the past weeks, we have put in place the necessary equipment and other logistical needs to ensure the safety and convenience of both vaccinees and frontliners,” Binay said.

She says the newly-opened vaccination venues will cater to senior citizens who have registered online and have received their confirmation number and designated schedule and venue of vaccination.

The Makati Health Department has deployed three vaccination teams per village to administer Sinovac’s Coronavac to senior residents of the five barangays.

Binay says the city will also open another vaccination site at the Fort Bonifacio Elementary School in West Rembo to inoculate senior citizens in District 2 who have registered for the free vaccination program.

Binay’s administration aims to vaccinate around 155,000 senior citizens under the city’s free vaccination program.

Meanwhile, people with comorbidities who have registered online will continue to be served at the Makati Coliseum, Binay says.

“We reiterate that we will not accept walk-in residents. Entry to the vaccination site will only be granted to those who can present a valid confirmation number and text message confirming their schedule for the day,” she said.

Residents and non-residents who work in Makati who wish to get vaccinated will have to undergo online registration, counseling, screening, vaccination and post-vaccination monitoring.

The MHD follows the prioritization list of the Department of Health. Under the city’s vaccination plan, frontliners will prioritize giving vaccines to some 13,469 frontliners in public and private hospitals, other medical facilities and facilities of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Makati Social Welfare Department, 155,562 senior citizens, 14,574 people with comorbidities and 4,160 members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

After frontliners, the city will vaccinate teachers and social workers, other government workers, other essential workers, other high-risk groups, overseas Filipino workers and other remaining workers.

Binay recently identified 30 vaccination sites aside from the Makati Coliseum and Ospital ng Makati. These include 24 public schools (divided into four zones) and six villages.

Apart from the main vaccine depot built at the City Hall Quadrangle, the city government has also set up vaccine depots for the proper storage of vaccine supplies to be used in vaccination sites in various public schools. These are located at East Rembo Elementary School (for Zone 1), Makati High School (Zone 2), Nicanor Garcia ES (Zone 3), and Pio del Pilar ES Main (Zone 4).

Zone 1 covers vaccination sites in Cembo ES, South Cembo ES, Comembo ES, East Rembo ES, Fort Bonifacio ES, Rizal ES, and West Rembo ES, while Zone 2 covers Nemesio Yabut ES, Guadalupe Viejo ES, San Jose ES, Pitogo ES, Makati HS and Pio del Pilar HS.

Zone 3 will serve Nicanor Garcia ES, La Paz ES, Jose Magsaysay ES, F. Benitez III ES, and F. Benitez III Main ES, while Zone 4 will cater to Bangkal Main ES, Palanan ES, Pio del Pilar ES I, Pio del Pilar ES Main, San Antonio ES and San Isidro National HS vaccination sites.