UST, in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), the Manila City Health Department, and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, joined the nationwide booster campaign “PinasLakas”, a Covid-19 vaccination drive for Thomasians. Students, academic and support staff, and their dependents were able to secure booster doses at the UST Practice Gym on September 22 and October 18, 2022.
Showing full support to the booster campaign, UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., Ph.D., encouraged the community to secure their jabs. In his welcome remarks (in Filipino), Fr. Ang emphasized that “if [the community] gets vaccination boosters, we can all ensure that we are ready, safe, and have a higher chance of remaining healthy. We can protect not only ourselves, but also our family and loved ones.”
“We have to take care of each other, and I’m very glad that we are one in this goal today,” said Fr. Ang.
PinasLakas launch sites include schools, malls, plazas, and places of worship – areas people can easily access to get their vaccines. UST is the first Philippine higher education institution to join this campaign and received the most single-day registrations.
Gracing the event were officials including: Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant Secretary for Community Participation Elizabeth N. Lopez-De Leon, who is an alumna of the College of Commerce and Business Administration; Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Educational Supervisor II Dr. Annalyn P. Diaz; Manila Health Department City Epidemiology Surveillance Unit Chief Dr. Jessie Bermejo; Metro Manila Center for Health Development Director III Aleli Annie Grace P. Sudiacal; and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Director IV Dr. Maria Loida Alzona.
