The Diocese of Dumaguete has opened its church and school grounds as vaccination areas for the national government’s mass vaccination program that will start this year.
Dumaguete Bishop Lito Cortes floated the idea, citing the Catholic’s Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) commitment to help in the government’s vaccination rollout.
This was decided upon by the CBCP after their plenary assembly in January, he said.
Cortes said shots could be given at church grounds after Mass on Sundays, especially to the elderly.
The prelate also assured the government that the CBCP would help disseminate information on the Covid-19 vaccination.
“If they ask us to help disseminate information to the people, we will do that. Perhaps before or after the Mass,” the bishop said. “This is due to the many misconceptions, conspiracy theories and controversies surrounding the covid vaccines,” he said in a separate interview.
Cortes made the “offer of collaboration” with the local governments of Negros Oriental when he met Vice Gov. Mark Macias and provincial board members in Ayungon town. Macias, a doctor, welcomed the offer of Cortes.
“My plea was that, despite the coming election, we be united on the issue of Covid-19 vaccination for the protection and survival of our people,” he said. Ryan Christopher Sorote