MANILA – The Malacañang does not see the need to make the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination mandatory, which a proposed law is seeking.
It said a House bill on the matter is not necessary since vaccine confidence among Filipinos is high and the COVID shots are not yet enough.
“Ang tingin natin ay dumadami na o tumataas na ang vaccine confidence kaya ang problema natin hindi sapat ang bakuna doon sa mga gustong magpabakuna,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Monday.
If deemed necessary, Roque said the government can exercise police power to make it mandatory.
“Sa ngayon naman po, mukhang hindi naman kinakailangang mandatory ‘yan,” Roque said. “Tama lang naman na habang wala pa ang karamihang bakuna natin eh hindi pa nagnanais magpabakuna ang lahat.”
Meanwhile, House Bill No. 9252 of Cavite’s Rep. Elpideo Barzaga Jr. aims to make the vaccination a requirement for Filipinos.
Under the bill, no person shall be allowed to enter, convene, or occupy public if he is not been inoculated. It said persons with existing medical conditions may be exempted from the vaccination.
According to Barzaga there is a need to enact legislation “to mandate and promote COVID-19 vaccination” and “instill public confidence in the personal, family, and community benefits of immunization.”
“It will be tragic if we have safe and effective vaccines available but people refuse to take them,” he added./PN
