Marcos Jr.: No need for law making COVID-19 boosters mandatory
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not see the need for a law requiring Filipinos to avail of COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots but is urging the public to get inoculated, saying it will protect them from severe illnesses.
Marcos, who just recovered from COVID-19, said studies have shown that vaccines can help keep people safe from the virus, which has so far claimed the lives of more than six million people worldwide.
"Hindi naman talaga kailangang isabatas pa ito dahil malaya pa rin tayong mamili para sa ating sariling kalusugan. Pero habang tumatagal ay mas lumilinaw ang sinasabi ng siyensiya. Ang mga datos at mga pag-aaral na ang pagpapakuna ay malaki ang naitutulong para sa ating kaligtasan mula sa COVID-19," Marcos said in a vlog posted on Youtube on Saturday.
(There is no need to legislate this because we are still free to choose when it comes to our own health. But as time goes by, what is being stated by science is becoming clearer. Data and studies have shown that vaccination can help a lot in keeping us safe from COVID-19)
Mandatory vaccination was an option also raised during the Duterte administration but there was no push to pass legislation for it. The Palace said there was no need for it because vaccination rates were already on the rise.
"Magpabakuna na po at magpa-booster shot na po para tiyak na tayo ay ligtas (Get vaccinated and avail of booster shots so we can be sure of our safety)," Marcos said Sunday.
Marcos said his isolation period is over and that he was no longer experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. He expressed belief that his illness would have been more serious if he were not inoculated against COVID-19.
Marcos said the government would conduct a booster shot campaign in preparation for the resumption of face-to-face classes and the easing of safety protocols.
Earlier this month, Marcos said the government may relax the pandemic alert levels and lift the face mask requirement if the rollout of COVID-19 booster shots is successful.
Marcos had to undergo isolation last week after testing positive for COVID-19 in an antigen test. He first caught the disease in 2020.
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