“Bakunahan sa Diliman” is now closed.
The UP Diliman vaccination project on campus, in partnership with the Quezon City (QC) local government, officially ended on Dec. 15, after almost eight months. The vaccination drive at the College of Human Kinetics (CHK) gymnasium was established for registered and confirmed UPD personnel, Barangay UP Campus residents, and other QC residents.
“Bakunahan sa Diliman” had two objectives: to vaccinate UPD personnel, and to assist the QC government in its campaign for an extensive vaccination program. The original agreement with the QC government for the vaccination program was for only three months.
The target for the original April to June 2021 vaccination program was to inoculate 5,000 people, equivalent to 10,000 doses of vaccine.
Bakunahan sa Diliman’s efficiency and high capacity to vaccinate people encouraged the QC government to extend the UP-CHK operation until September. The vaccination hub was able to vaccinate 1,200 people a day by mid-June.
“Then nagkaroon ng pagbabakuna sa mga bata at yung boosters, kaya na-extend ulit hanggang December,” explained UPD Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs, Aleli B. Bawagan
Before the vax drive closed, UPD was able to administer a total 37,000 jabs—5,000 of which were booster shots.
Bawagan thanked all the volunteers for giving their time and capabilities to the vaccination drive in UPD.
She also underscored the contributions of the volunteers, composed of administrative staff, REPS, faculty, alumni, manininda, and health workers.
“Taos-puso akong nagpasalamat sa pinakita ninyong solidarity. Malaki ang naging ambag ninyo sa UPD COVID-19 response. Araw-araw na narito kayo at laging papuri ang natatanggap natin dahil magalang ang mga volunteers, maayos ang ating IT support, at nais itong i-adopt ng QC LGU,” Bawagan said.
Meanwhile, UPD Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo, in his message at the closing ceremonies, said the QC government was a great blessing, and he expressed his gratitude to them for their support and trust not just in the vaccination program, but also in putting up the Silungang Molave, a community isolation unit for UPD.
Nemenzo also thanked CHK dean, Prof. Francis Carlos Diaz, for allowing the use of CHK gym not just as a vaccination site, but also as a refuge and a gathering site for the UPD community during the pandemic.
“Tuwang-tuwa ang ating mga professor emeritus dahil sa loob ng halos dalawang taon na nasa bahay lang sila, dito sila nagkita-kita at nagkumustahan sa CHK hub. Maraming salamat Dean Kiko sa venue at sa suporta,” Nemenzo said.
The chancellor added that he is proud of the UPD Bakunahan Team and other UPD COVID-19 response teams for they are living up to the three mandates of UP.
“We not only teach and do research, but we also provide services. UPD is really proud of you,” he said.
(This article, written by Bino C. Gamba, was first published in the UPD Website on January 5, 2022)