CABANATUAN CITY – Senior citizens getting theirfirst dose of Covid-19 vaccination were sheltered from the sweltering heat of summer with an SM City mall serving as jabbing site.
Mayor Myca Elizabeth Vergara and the management of SM City Cabanatuan and SM Megacenter entered into an agreement for the free use of mall facilities during the series of anti-Covid-19 vaccination.
On Monday, some 100 senior citizens were given the first dose of Sinovac at the Level 2, Garden Park of SM Cabanatuan with Vergara standing as witness.
The mayor said some 1,000 senior citizens have initially registered via online for vaccination in this city. The city has so far received over 970 doses for seniors, she added.
“The vaccination against the dreaded disease is a big step towards ending the pandemic” Vergara said, adding that the elderly might probably get infected from the youths who get out of their respective houses.
Vergara lauded SM Supermalls for opening the venue, with all the equipment needed like chairs, tables and barricades with the support of the mall manpower to maintain the security, crowd management, cleanliness, and proper sanitation of the area, for free.
Joanne Bondoc, assistant mall manager, said SM is working with the community since day one of this pandemic and this initiative in another way for SM to be part of the continuous battle against Covid-19.
“Since last year, SM has been actively supporting the community with SM Foundation Inc. through the donation drives wherein SM distributed temperature scanners, personal protective equipment, alcohols, food and distribution of Kalinga Packs in different Barangays. The use of the RESBAKUNA venue is part the continuous efforts that we would like to extend in helping our local government to properly conduct the vaccination drive for Cabanatuenos” said Bondoc.
SM Megacenter Cabanatuan will also be a venue for RESBAKUNA in the following days.
To date, SM is the only private establishment serving as vaccination site in this city, Bondoc noted.
