SEVENTEEN higher education institutions have agreed to turn their facilities into vaccination centers, according to the Commission on Higher Education.

The agency and the Union of the Local Authorities of the Philippines are collaborating with these HEIs on the establishment of vaccination centers.

These are the Our Lady of Fatima University- Valenzuela; Manila Central University; University of Perpetual Help System Dalta- Las Piñas Campus; De La Salle University-Dasmariñas;  St. Louis University, Central Philippine University;  West Visayas State University; OLFU-San Fernando, Pampanga; University of Baguio; Benguet State University; University of Cebu; University of Perpetual Help- Dr. Jose G. Tamayo Medical University; OLFU-Quezon City; De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute; Notre Dame Kidapawan College; North Valley College Foundation; and Cotabato Medical Foundation

CHED and ULAP partnered for “resiliency, rehabilitation, and national recovery” by jointly pursuing “complementary and holistic strategies that would encourage collaboration” between LGUs and HEIs.

CHED Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III and Gov. Dakila Carlo E. Cua, ULAP National President, signed a Statement of Bayanihan to help the government advance its vaccination campaign.

De Vera said that more HEIs have offered their facilities to be converted into vaccination sites.

“These HEIs have been inspected by the CHED, the local IATF and LGUs so we are sure that the proper health protocols, retrofitting of facilities, and the requirements for safety are already being implemented by these universities. These HEIs also have big facilities like gymnasiums that can be used for vaccination. They have the necessary health personnel who can assist in the vaccination drive,” De Vera said.

“There is an urgency to proceed with this initiative because as we move from A1 to A4 and then to B1, the number of people that we need to vaccinate are going to be bigger in number especially when we go to indigents and essential workers. Our existing vaccination centers under the local government should expand to cover these groups and HEI facilities can be tapped,” he added.