Published May 26, 2021, 8:50 AM
Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash
Mayor Abigail Binay presented how the City of Makati is providing better healthcare services and COVID-19 vaccination rollout thru digital technology solutions during the virtual forum of the Stratbase Albert Del Rosario Institute (ADRi) held last Friday with health stakeholders from the public and private sector.
In opening remarks, Stratbase ADRi President, Prof. Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit said, “The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities and intricacies of governance and healthcare system in the country.
Manhit said, “Our battle against COVID-19 becomes more challenging because of particular systemic and perennial problems pertaining to the unimproved healthcare facilities and workforce, a dependent labor force, and the lack of financial resources.”
(JUAN CARLO DE VELA / MANILA BULLETIN)
“From the distributed doses, over 1 million (1,093,651) Filipinos: healthcare workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities have been afforded partial protection through administration of the first dose,” the DOH said.
“Meanwhile, of the total Filipinos who received their first doses, 162,065 Filipinos have been given their second doses of the vaccine, thereby affording them the full protection and benefits that vaccines provide,” added the department.
Based on the April 14 vaccine rollout update of the DOH, the areas having the highest number of doses received were the National Capital Region with 1,158,470; followed by Calabarzon with 268,160; Central Luzon with 190,700; and Central Visayas with 176,760.
Atty. Joey Lina
Here’s good news that largely went unnoticed: President Duterte has okayed the expansion of the Bulacan Industrial City where a new pharmaceutical manufacturing zone is set to rise.
Sen. Francis Tolentino, who was my online guest last Sunday in my Teleradyo program Sagot Ko ‘Yan, relayed the good news that Malacañang issued Proclamation No. 1070 last January 11 designating 259,069 square meters of land in Malolos, Bulacan, as a special economic zone.
He said the newly designated land in Malolos will be added to the current 38-hectare Bulacan Industrial City that was established in 1991, and dubbed as the “Pharma City of the North” which houses several pharmaceutical firms such as Pascual Laboratories, Cargill Philippines, and seven others.
Expanding Pharma Zones: A win-win solution for health and pandemic-stricken economy - Tolentino
MANILA - Administration Senator Francis Tol N. Tolentino believed that accelerating the establishment of pharmaceutical manufacturing zones under the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) will not only give Filipinos better access to cheaper medicines but would also help stabilize the pandemic-stricken economy.
Tolentino said expanding the so-called Pharma Zone has both short and long term goals since aside from providing the public with locally manufactured but less expensive vaccines just like in the case of COVID-19 disease, it can also bring forth more investments and jobs for the pandemic-stricken economy.