MANILA, Philippines – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is planning to convert its quarantine facility into a national COVID-19 vaccination center that will help the government on its immunization program expected to be rolled out next month.

MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos said the 800-square meter facility will be turned into COVID-19 vaccination center to help expedite the distribution and administration of the vaccines once they become available in the country.

“The MMDA quarantine facility is open for any national government agency that needs a place to efficiently roll out the anti-COVID-19 vaccination program. We are always willing to lend assistance to stop the transmission of disease at the soonest time possible so we can go back to normal again,” Abalos said in a statement.

The MMDA in May 2020 established the isolation facility to serve as temporary holding area for its own employees who need to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine in accordance with the Department of Health’s protocols.

Located in the agency’s headquarters in Makati, the facility is air-conditioned and fully equipped with shower rooms, comfort rooms and lavatories, and Wi-Fi connection.

The MMDA chief also offered to assist Metro Manila local government units on vaccine logistics and equipment for quick mobility across the National Capital Region.

Meanwhile, Abalos also revealed the agency’s plan for all its employees to undergo monthly RT-PCR swab test to ensure their health and safety.

“Our personnel’s welfare is our topmost priority. We need to make sure that they are safe from the dangers of COVID-19. This is one of our ways to help the national government in curbing the spread of the disease.”

The MMDA announced last year it has allotted P20 million for vaccine procurement for its entire workforce. Each employee can also nominate one member of their family to receive vaccination.

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is planning to offer its own quarantine facility to the government to become a national COVID-19 vaccination center, the agency reported on Friday (January 22).

The isolation facility, located at the agency’s headquarters in Makati, was established last May 2020 for MMDA employees who need to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

MMDA said that the conversion of the 800 square meter facility will help the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to expedite the distribution and administration of the vaccines as it plans to roll out the inoculation program next month.

“The MMDA quarantine facility is open for any national government agency that needs a place to efficiently roll out the anti-COVID-19 vaccination program,” said MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos.

“We are always willing to lend assistance to stop the transmission of disease at the soonest time possible so we can go back to normal again,” he added.

Abalos also shared his plan to have all the agency’s employees undergo a monthly RT-PCR swab test to ensure their health and safety.

“Our personnel’s welfare is our topmost priority. We need to make sure that they are safe from the dangers of COVID-19. This is one of our ways to help the national government in curbing the spread of the disease,” Abalos said. MNP / Raymund David

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will push through with its plan to close the EDSA U-turn slot at General Malvar in Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City on Monday (January 11).

“The U-turn slot located along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue in General Malvar / Bagong Barrio area shall be closed to vehicular traffic effective January 11, Monday, in line with the Department of Transportation’s EDSA Busway project,” the MMDA said in an advisory released last Friday.

With the closure of the said U-turn slot, motorists from northbound going southbound are advised to take the Monumento Circle or those coming from Quezon City may also take Balintawak Cloverleaf.

Since September 2020, the MMDA has so far closed six U-turn slots to give way to the government’s Busway Project.

For this project, the innermost lane of EDSA was designated as an exclusive lane for public utility buses (PUBs) traveling from Monumento, Caloocan City to SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, and vice versa. —/mbmf