Isko Moreno eyes Manila Zoo as vaccination site

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno is planning to use the renovated Manila Zoo as a site for the vaccination of children and senior citizens, the city government announced yesterday.

Moreno said the five-hectare zoo could be a venue for the inoculation of children and the elderly so that they can enjoy the view after getting vaccinated.

“The zoo can have a double purpose… You can stroll around and get a jab,” Moreno said in Filipino after visiting the zoo on Saturday.

He said minors aged 12 to 17 may go to the zoo to get vaccinated once the site is set up.

The government targets to start vaccination for ages five to 11 next month.

Moreno said the city government still has an open policy on vaccinating both Manila residents and non-residents.

Only 500 to 1,000 people are allowed in the zoo to comply with health protocols, he said.

A website for the zoo will soon be launched where people can register to get vaccinated, Moreno added.

Manila had logged 3,480 active cases of COVID-19 as of yesterday, with 689 new cases.

Manila Zoo, first opened in 1959, has been refurbished with elevated viewing decks and glass animal enclosures.

The resident elephant Mali, who has been living there for over four decades, was given a larger cage.

Moreno has thumbed down calls for Mali to be transferred to an animal sanctuary.

The zoo also has its own sewage treatment facility after it was closed in 2019 for dumping untreated waste water in Manila Bay.