PCG tapped to deliver vaccines

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) used its aerial assets to deliver seven boxes of Sinovac vaccines to Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) on Friday.

The PCG said it used its helicopter and Islander plane to transport the vaccines to Mamburao in Occidental Mindoro, Calapan in Oriental Mindoro, Gasan in Marinduque and Alcantara in Romblon.

It was the first time that the PCG was tapped to help the Department of Health deliver the vaccines, according to PCG spokesman Armand Balilo.

“This may not be the last time that the PCG will be tasked to deliver vaccines around the country as vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. spoke with PCG commandant Adm. George Ursabia Jr. regarding the transport of the vaccines,” Balilo said.

Ursabia instructed the PCG men to prepare their sea and air assets for the tasks ahead.

“There is an instruction from the commandant to make our ships ready. But our air assets consisting of two helicopters and two Islander planes might be more utilized because these could deliver the vaccines faster,” Balilo said.

It would only take an hour or two for the helicopter and Islander plane to bring the vaccines to the Visayas.