CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (28 May 2021) – Two colleges in Northern Mindanao will be used as vaccination centers after signing separate partnership agreements with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The Northern Bukidnon State College (NBSC) in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, signed on May 28 the agreement with CHED for the use of its premises as a vaccination site for several local governments in the province.

On May 27, Governor Alfonso D. Tan College, a community college of Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, also signed a similar deal with CHED.

Ched Chairperson J. Propero de Vera, who was present in both the signing events, said at least 40 private and public colleges and universities had shown interest in becoming vaccination centers and quarantine facilities.

He said that schools can only choose either as a vaccination center or a quarantine facility, as these two functions should be operated separately.

“It depends on the assessment of health experts, school officials, and LGUs (local government units) in identifying if these schools met the standards,” De Vera said in a press conference after the MoA signing with NBSC.

CHED-10 Director Raul C. Alvarez also said that in Northern Mindanao, at least four academic institutions had shown interest in becoming vaccination centers in their localities, one of which is the Liceo de Cagayan University.

De Vera earlier said one advantage for colleges and universities offering their facilities and campuses as vaccination sites is the priority given to their faculty, staff, and students to be prioritized for inoculations.

This way, he said, administrators of these institutions can slowly continue with limited face-to-face instructions.