PRC Edsa Bakuna Center begins vax, food trucks serve hot meals
THE Philippine Red Cross’ (PRC) EDSA Boni Bakuna Center, which opened its doors last Thursday, is ready to roll out its vaccination.
Sen. Richard J. Gordon, PRC chairman and chief executive officer, said the center, located at a former 24-hour convenience store, is catering to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) priority groups specifically the OFWs as part of the government’s vaccination initiative, and the expanded A1, A2 and A3 categories.
“Urgent action is needed to arrest the rising human toll due to the ongoing pandemic, that is why the Red Cross is intensifying its vaccination efforts as COVID-19 cases in our country are surging once again,” he said.
Gordon said the Mandaluyong City government granted accreditation to the new PRC Bakuna Center accreditation last August 4, with CBCR#08574.
As of August 5, the PRC has nine Bakuna Centers in Metro Manila and will also be opening more Bakuna Centers around the metro in the coming weeks.
The established Bakuna Centers in Metro Manila are: PRC PLMC Mandaluyong, PRC EDSA Boni, PRC Pasay Chapter, PRC Port Area, PRC Kabaka Manila and PRC Letran Manila.
Meanwhile, the following are in partnership with the local government units: PRC QC-Ever Commonwealth, PRC Rizal Chapter-Arcovia Mall Pasig and PRC Rizal Chapter-San Lorenzo Mall Makati.
The upcoming Bakuna Centers in Metro Manila are: PRC Caloocan City-MCU, PRC Malabon-Rotary Club of Malabon, PRC Quezon City-Fisher Mall, PRC Marikina-Concepcion Elementary School and PRC Rizal Chapter (Pasig)-Rizal Technological University.
In a related development, with the National Capital Region under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) once more, the PRC has organized rolling kitchens, through its Hot Meals on Wheels fleet, across Metro Manila and nearby provinces to provide ready-to-eat meals for communities affected by COVID-19.
Gordon said 23 of PRC’s hot meals on wheels will be deployed to the cities of Caloocan, Manila, Las Pinas, Malabon, Marikina, Navotas, Pasay, Quezon City, Valenzuela and areas in the provinces of Rizal, Valenzuela, Cavite and Bulacan.
Gordon said this is in response to the imposition of strict community quarantine measures that restrict the residents to their access to food and other basic needs.
“Dahil sa paglaganap ng delta variant sa ating bansa, at pagbalik sa Enhanced Community Quarantine sa Metro Manila, kaagad natin ipinadala ang ating mga Food truck upang makapagbigay ng makakain sa mga taong maaapektuhan ng lockdown. Magugutom ang mga tao, hindi lahat may kakayahan na itawid itong ECQ na ito. Kaya naman naghanda tayo dito sa Red Cross at ipapa-deploy natin ang mga food trucks,” he said.
PRC’s food trucks, that Gordon led in acquiring to help provide hot meals to disaster affected families, will be deployed to its 12 chapters in Metro Manila and nearby provinces and aim to distribute hot meals to 13,000 individuals.
PRC will also set up a welfare desk and first aid station to ensure the safety of the residents and will strictly observe prevention control measures.
