DAVAO CITY ––President Rodrigo Duterte praised the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for its contributions to the country’s ongoing efforts to help contain COVID-19 particularly with the emergence of a more transmissible Omicron variant.
During President Duterte’s regular Talk to the People on Monday, he said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade and his department did a good job addressing the concerns posed by coronavirus to the department and commuters.
“I am sure that the response of Tugade and his men there did everything they [could] to help,” President Duterte said.
Tugade said during the meeting with the President that the DOTr is working to put up on-site vaccination facilities in public transportation places such as ports, bus stations, airports, and MRT/LRT stations to immunize unvaccinated commuters.
The department has also started its mobile vaccination drive at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) aimed at vaccinating 500 people every day.
“The vaccination facility that we will put up in all the sectors of the Kagawaran will be in accordance with the details, policies and requirements of DOH,” Tugade said.
At the same time, the transport chief reported that 136 Tausugs who were stranded at Manila North Harbor have been taken care of and allowed to board a vessel for their travel to Zamboanga and other destinations.
The stranded passengers were given the permission to leave after they presented negative antigen results and their respective local government units (LGUs) gave the nod for their entry.
Another group of passengers, composed of 140 individuals, were also permitted to travel to Zamboanga, Bacolod City and Dumaguete City, Tugade said, adding the processing of the stranded passengers was done through the coordination between different government agencies.
“Ito ho ay nangyari sa pagtutulungan ng mga ibang ahensiya at departamento ng ating pamahalaan. Kaya nga ba’t nagpapasalamat ako sa DSWD na kung saan kasama ang PPA, kasama ‘yung DOH, kasama ‘yung DILG ay sila’y nagkapit-bisig upang matugunan itong problemang ito,” he said.
“Ang DSWD po ay nagbigay ng ayuda, P5,000 bawat tao na involved diyan. Iyong DOH ho nakipagtulungan nang sa ganoon magawa ‘yung tinatawag natin na antigen testing. Iyong DILG ay tumulong sa amin upang makipag-usap sa mga local government.”
