MANILA – To boost Filipino’s confidence in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to be vaccinated in public.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte has changed his stand regarding COVID-19 inoculation following the public’s hesitation on being injected with the vaccine.
“I think the President has said he will now have himself vaccinated publicly. He only has to announce when it will be done,” Roque said on Monday.
“That’s, of course, in recognition of the fact na naghihintay ng senyales ang taong bayan kung talaga sila’y magpapabakuna o hindi. I think that is a policy that we will now pursue,” he added.
Prior to his change in decision, the president earlier said he preferred to be inoculated in private with vaccines from China or Russia.
The 75-year-old Duterte, who has underlying health issues and a senior citizen, belongs to a group that is vulnerable to developing severe symptoms of respiratory disease.
Roque also appealed to the public not to criticize and accuse the government officials of being VIP (very important person) if they are the first to receive COVID-19 shots.
“Gagawin lang po natin iyan dahil kinakailangan mapataas natin ang kumpiyansa ng ating mga kababayan na magpabakuna, hindi po dahil sila ay VIP,” said Roque.
Based on the latest survey by Pulse Asia, around half or 47 percent Filipinos refused to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19. Separate surveys by the OCTA research group showed only 25 percent of Metro Manila residents are willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine jabs. /PN
