Duterte now willing to get jab in public

MANILA, Philippines — To inspire confidence in the government’s vaccination program against COVID-19, President Duterte is now willing to get inoculated publicly – if allowed by his doctors, Sen. Bong Go said.

“President Duterte and I were able to talk on the matter. He plans to have himself vaccinated if his doctors agree, and that this should be made public so that Filipinos can be confident of being vaccinated,” Go told reporters on Thursday after attending the opening of the country’s 101st Malasakit Center at the Gov. Roque Ablan Sr. Memorial Hospital in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

He said Duterte and other government officials should be vaccinated in public not because they are among the first in line to get injections but “to set an example, to get the confidence of the people.”

Go said he continues to remind vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III of the need to ensure vaccines procured by the government are safe and effective.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Manny Pacquiao, in separate statements, said they are willing to be vaccinated in public to encourage Filipinos to follow suit.

“I will have myself vaccinated to show to our countrymen that it is safe and that we need this. The benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 far outweigh the possible side effects that may not manifest,” Sotto said in a video message to reporters.

A statement issued by Pacquiao’s office said the senator since last year has been wanting to have his vaccination made public but was just “being extra careful and prudent” as it may affect his upcoming professional fight.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri stressed yesterday that his bill seeking to allow local government units (LGUs) to directly purchase vaccines from manufacturers would support the national government’s inoculation program.

“Senate Bill 2042 is not going to give LGUs precedence over the national government in terms of vaccine procurement. National government will still prevail – LGUs still need to follow the national guidelines for vaccine deployment set by the Department of Health and the National Task Force against COVID-19,” Zubiri said.

“So no one should fear inequitable distribution. Whether through the national government or the LGUs, our frontliners will still be prioritized for vaccination,” he said.

“The vaccines purchased by LGUs will augment the supply of the national government. LGUs that are unable able to purchase vaccines on their own would still be covered by the national government vaccine rollout,” he explained.

He said the measure filed this week was upon the request of LGUs, 70 of which are already in negotiations with vaccine suppliers and they need to deposit advance payments to secure them.

Without authorization as sought by SB 2042, LGUs will lose the allocation. LGUs are also requesting that they be exempted from the requirement of purchasing goods and services from suppliers with the lowest bid. – Sheila Crisostomo