MANILA — The University of the Philippines (UP) has converted the gymnasium of its Diliman, Quezon City campus into a COVID-19 vaccination facility for university workers and members of its community.

UP Diliman Vice Chancellor Aleli Bawagan said Tuesday the vaccination center is manned by qualified volunteers, including university alumni and residents from communities that cover the vast campus.

The in-campus vaccination program aims to decongest vaccination centers in Quezon City and speed up the process of achieving herd immunity against the new coronavirus.

The vaccination hub serves members of the UP community who were surveyed earlier this year, and fall under the A2 (senior citizens) and A3 (persons with comorbidities) categories of the government's COVID-19 priority list.

LOOK: UP Diliman gym is converted into a vaccination center for UP workers and community members to decongest the vaccination areas in Quezon City. Unlike vaccination centers of LGUs, the UP vaccination center is manned by qualified volunteers. pic.twitter.com/DqcAO02RCQ

— Adrian Ayalin (@adrianayalin) May 4, 2021

"All of those who responded to the survey ay binigyan namin ng confirmatory email na final and we gave them our schedule, so we have our own system," Bawagan said.

(We gave all of those who responded to the survey a confirmatory email saying their vaccination is final and we gave them our schedule.)

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte assured UP Diliman of vaccine supply as long as the recipients are either residents or working within the city, said Bawagan.

UP Manila physical therapy graduate Athena Marcelo was among those who volunteered at the vaccination site.

"They needed someone na puwedeng mag-check ng vital signs, to check if 'yong patients po or the people are qualified na healthy sila, and in good condition bago maging vaccinated," she said.

(They needed someone who could check the vital signs, to check if the patients or people are qualified, healthy and in good condition before they get vaccinated.)

Last month, the University of the Philippines Los Baños also allowed the 2 municipalities that cover its campus to use its facilities for COVID-19 vaccination.

• UP Los Baños used as COVID-19 vaccination hub

Commission on Higher Education Chairman Prospero de Vera earlier said more than 20 higher education institutions have offered their facilities as COVID-19 vaccination sites.

• Philippines: COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker

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