THIRTEEN more hospitals will be tapped for the vaccination of minors aged 12-17, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday.

“We will expand the vaccination of this adolescent age group of 12 to 17 by adding 13 more hospitals in the NCR,” Duterte said in his pre-recorded public address.

The initial rollout of the pediatric vaccination was held in eight hospitals in the National Capital Region.

These hospitals are Philippine Children’s Medical Center, National Children’s Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Pasig City Children’s Hospital, Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital-Global City and Makati Medical Center.

According to the Department of Health, 1,509 children with comorbidity or pre-existing health conditions received their first dose.

On Monday, Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the government aims to vaccinate 144,131 minors aged 15 to 17 in Metro Manila.

Malaya noted that the second phase of the pediatric vaccination will start on October 22.

Each local government unit has identified one hospital that will be included in the pediatric vaccination pilot run, which includes the Caloocan Medical Center, Ospital ng Parañaque, and Pasay General Hospital, among others.

The National Task Force Against Covid19 earlier said the program would be expanded to minors aged 12 to 14, and eventually to adolescents residing in the provinces.