Adventists in Davao, South Philippines, Provide 1,200 Vaccines to the Community

The Davao Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, in partnership with Adventist Hospital Davao (AHD), through the supervision of the Vaccine Cluster of the City Government of Davao Health Office, heeded the call and fulfilled their duty as citizens to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program!

The four-day event (July 19, 21–-23) had 1,200 AztraZeneca shots administered, to Adventist church members and non-church members, at the Royal Valley SDA Elementary School covered {basketball?} court.

Pastor Edwin Magdadaro, Davao Mission (DM) president, simultaneously acting as the DM Health director, had this plan a few months back, when vaccination sites were a bit harder to find. Together with AHD, the healthcare institution of the Adventist Church in the Davao region, they worked it out with the City Government of Davao, under the supervision of Dr. Josephine Villafuerte, Vaccine Cluster head of the City Health Office.

“The vaccine vial cannot be returned to the shelf once it’s opened. So we had to call on people from all walks of life outside the premises of the vaccination venue to be properly administered to,” says Dr. Kenneth Tandug, VP for Medical Affairs of the AHD.

Magdadaro said, “We have called on our church members who are willing to participate in this program.” It was also to cater to the vaccination needs of the church where they don’t have to stand in long lines under the scorching heat of the sun.

The first day of the program saw 216 shots administered. However, the process wasn’t that long, as everyone who received the shots enjoyed a satisfying snack, prepared by the DM. As one participant put it, “Malipayon ko nga ing-ani ang nahitabo dinhi nga vaccination site. Salamat sa fruit juice, bread, ug lomi! Unta ing-ani sad sa uban nga mga lugar! (I am happy this is what happened today at this vaccination site! There was fruit juice, bread, and Lomi noodle soup! I wish all of the sites are like this!)”

The number of those who had the shots the following day almost doubled and tripled the day after.

The DM also invited and catered to sister institutions like Northern Davao Mission and South Philippine Adventist College. Other nearby companies also took advantage of this program, like Mercury Drug, Jameg Construction, and Manpower Services, to name a few.

“All in all, we had 1,200 shots administered,” said Aida Daugdaug-Lamera, associate director of Nursing Services for AHD.

The DM conducted a simple ceremony during the devotional program held on the last day of the event. It was to appreciate AHD’s leadership for administering the event and the Vaccine Cluster of the City Health Office of Davao City for approving the church’s request.

The DM appreciates the leadership of AHD: Marijoe S. Pialago, President; Dr. Kenneth T. Tandug, VP of Medical Affairs; Dr. Leni M. Pialago, VP of Operations; Wintonette Mojica-Tabudlong, VP of Finance; Sheena Gersava-Avance, Infection Control {director?}; Aida Daugdaug-Llamera; and the doctors, nurses, and support staff.

The Davao Mission, through its administrators, Pastor Rey Merin, Laurence Lamera, and Magdadaro, and Adventist Hospital Davao wish to extend their profound appreciation to the City Government of Davao, its City Health Office, and the Region XI Department of Health for the very successful administration of the COVID-19 vaccination program.

This article was originally published on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division’s news site