Makati opens more vaccination sites

MANILA, Philippines — The Makati government will open today additional inoculation sites to speed up the vaccination of city residents against COVID-19.

The covered courts in Barangays Bel-Air, Forbes Park, San Lorenzo and Urdaneta as well as the Asia Pacific College in Barangay Magallanes will serve as vaccination centers, Mayor Abby Binay said.

Another vaccination site will be opened at the Fort Bonifacio Elementary School in Barangay West Rembo, Binay said.

“These inoculation sites will speed up the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to thousands of residents who registered online for Bakuna Makati,” she said.

Only senior citizens who signed up for the city government’s COVID-19 vaccination program will be accommodated in these sites, according to city hall.

They will be inoculated with China’s Sinovac vaccine.

Makati aims to vaccinate 155,562 senior citizens.

Persons with comorbidities are advised to go to the Makati Coliseum for their scheduled vaccination.

Pateros hit over ayuda service fee

Meanwhile, the local government of Pateros has received flak over its decision to charge up to P50 service fee to fast-track the distribution of ayuda or cash aid to beneficiaries.

Mayor Miguel Ponce III said they tapped the services of a money remittance firm to distribute the cash assistance.

The company would charge P20 for those receiving P1,000, P30 for recipients of P2,000, P40 for beneficiaries of P3,000 and P50 for those accepting P4,000.

Ponce said employees of the local government could not distribute the cash aid to the beneficiaries as most of them were infected with COVID-19.

The residents slammed the planned collection of fees from the beneficiaries.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has ordered the municipal government to shoulder the expenses for the service charge.