In recognition of the efforts and hard work of its partner higher education institutions (HEIs), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) awarded 16 Outstanding HEIs for their COVID-19 Vaccination Program.
The outstanding HEIs have very high vaccination rates of at least 95% of the total number of HEI faculty and staff and more than 70% of the total number of tertiary students.
“CHED has been an inspiration to us in the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program.”
“CHED has been an inspiration to us in the National COVID-19 Vaccination Program. Your initiatives to vaccinate the tertiary students, HEI personnel, and the general public are highly commendable. We thank the whole higher education sector for offering your facilities and7 manpower to help in our COVID-19 vaccination rollout,” said former Vaccine Czar Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr.
These HEIs also launched information campaigns, made their facilities vaccination centers, developed partnerships with their local governments, and worked with the DOH and National Task Force COVID-19 in vaccinating not just their students, staff, and faculty but also the public.
The school-based vaccination program launched in 2021 by CHED, DOH, NTF Covid19, and the participating HEIs and LGUs was responsible for the high vaccination rates among students, faculty, and staff that allowed the opening of face-to-face classes in HEIs.
Face-to-face classes were allowed in medicine and allied health sciences in January 2021, engineering and technology programs in September 2021, and all degree programs in November 2021.
The following outstanding HEIs were awarded in the ceremony at the PICC:
- Mariano Marcos University (Region 1)
- University of Saint Louis (Region 2)
- Centro Escolar University-Malolos (Region 3)
- University of the Philippines-Los Baños (Calabarzon)
- John Paul College (Mimaropa)
- University of Santo Tomas-Legazpi (Region 5)
- West Visayas State University (Region 6)
- Matias H. Aznar Memorial College of Medicine (Region 7)
- Doña Remedios T. Romualdez Medical Foundation (Region 8)
- Universidad de Zamboanga (Region 9)
- Xavier University (Region 10)
- Cor Jesu College, Inc. (Region 11)
- St. Alexius College, Inc. (Region 12)
- University of Baguio (CAR)
- Father Saturnino Urios University (Caraga)
- Our Lady of Fatima University-Valenzuela and Pampanga campus (NCR and Region 3)
“So many HEIs launched school-based vaccination and must be commended. But these awardees are the ‘best of the best’ exemplifying the Bayanihan spirit by forging unity and cooperation among key stakeholders to expedite the vaccination against COVID-19 of their students, faculty, and non-teaching personnel,” said CHED Chairman Popoy De Vera.
Every effort counts, every contribution counts.”
“Hindi po namin akalain na kami ay mabibigyan ng award. We are very grateful for CHED for recognizing our COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Truly, it took a whole-of-nation approach for the Philippines to vaccinate 71 million people. Every effort counts, every contribution counts,” OLFU President Caroline Enriquez said.
The awarding ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center was organized by CHED and joined by Galvez.
It is part of CHED’s celebration of the National Higher Education Day by virtue of RA 11522.
