The Diocese of Novaliches allowed its parishes to open their church doors to have their premises be used for the coming vaccination against Covid-19 in the country.
In response to this gesture, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte recently expressed her gratitude to Diocese of Novaliches led by Bishop Fr. Roberto Gaa.
At their breakfast meeting, Gaa said the city could use the diocese’s facilities as vaccination sites.
“The city is very grateful to the Diocese of Novaliches, especially to Bishop Most Rev. Fr. Roberto Gaa for letting us use their parishes’ facilities for our Covid-19 vaccination drives. Since the community quarantine was implemented, they have been closely working with us and they do whatever they can for our city,” Belmonte said in a news release.
“With some of our residents expressing hesitancy to be inoculated, the strong support and active participation of the church in the government’s vaccination drive will definitely help raise the confidence and trust of our people in vaccination,” she added.
The diocese also agreed to use KyusiPass, the city’s contact tracing application, in their parishes to help the city in its contact tracing efforts.
According to Diocese of Novaliches Vicar General Fr. Tony Labiao Jr., besides the facilities, the church will also help the city in mobilizing its parishioners to take part in the city’s vaccination.
“There will be a big impact if the church unites in this government program for the parishioners. The diocese is always willing to help the city especially if it is for the common good of the community,” Labiao said partly in Filipino.
Novaliches has 15 big parishes that the city can utilize when the vaccination drive takes place.
“Once our parishes are utilized as inoculation sites, we assure everyone that we will comply with the Department of Health’s standards to ensure the safety of our citizens and health ww zzworkers,” Belmonte added.
The city government has been working side by side with the Diocese of Novaliches in ensuring good governance, as well as in the city’s community drug rehabilitation program.
Some of the parishes served as the city’s payout sites during the distribution of its Social Amelioration Program-Kalingang QC.
In July, the city government has also partnered with the diocese in utilizing the 5,000-square meter unused land in Novaliches as a model community farm as part of the city’s food security program.
Many Filipinos anxious of safety of Covid-19 jabs
The move by the Diocese of Novaliches to open its churches’ doors as vaccination sites was a welcome development to urge the residents to have themselves vaccinated.
This came as many Filipinos have expressed concern about the safety of the vaccine against the coronavirus.
According to the Veritas Truth Survey (VTS) of church-run Radio Veritas, 67 percent of the respondents are concerned about the protection of the people against the possible side effects of the Covid-19 vaccines, a Philippine News Agency report said.
It added that 17 percent are for the efficacy of the vaccine while 8 percent would like to know first the country that manufactured the vaccine.
Only 6 percent would like to know testimonies of those who have received the vaccine, and 2 percent are in favor of the use of the vaccine.
The VTS was conducted from January 4 to 22 through text and online data gathering from 1,200 respondents in the country.
Vatican, CBCP, Christian
The concern against the vaccine came even after the Vatican, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and other Christian denominations, such as the Protestants and the The Church of Christ of the Latter Day Saints, among others, have expressed support for the vaccination, especially for the poor, the frontliners and the others in need.
At the Vatican, both Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI have received their first doses of the vaccine in the middle of January.
The Vatican News quoted the pope as referring to the vaccination as “an ethical action, because you are gambling with your health, you are gambling with your life, but you are also gambling with the lives of others.”
The Catholic News Agency also reported last week that the Vatican began vaccinating homeless people in its care against Covid-19 on January 20.
An initial of around 25 homeless people had received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine at the atrium of the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. They were permanently housed in the care and residence facilities of the Office of Papal Charities, the Vatican department that offers charitable assistance to the poor on behalf of the pope.
Among the The Church of Jesus Christ, eight of its senior leaders received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine recently in Salt Lake City. They qualify for the vaccine in Utah because they are over the age of 70.
The Church of Jesus Christ has recognized the importance of vaccinations and immunization for decades, according to a Newsroom article.
Image credits: Vatican Media