MANILA – To address the vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque suggested making coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination a requirement before getting cash aid from the government.
During President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Talk to the People” on Tuesday morning, Roque said COVID-19 vaccination could be made a condition for those under Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) program.
“Siguro pwede natin pag-aralan na isama natin sa kundisyon para sa 4Ps program ay ‘yung pagbabakuna kontra sa COVID-19,” the Palace spokesperson said.
“Ang daming nakikinabang sa programa na ‘yan at kapag naisama sa condition na ‘yan ay maraming mababakunahan lalo na sa hanay ng mga mahihirap,” he added.
4Ps is a government initiative that offers conditional cash grants to the country’s poorest of the poor families.
Roque also suggested that COVID vaccination can be made as a prerequisite in future pandemic cash aid the government may distribute under the proposed Bayanihan 3 law.
“Kung mayroon tayong future ayuda, siguro ‘yung mga makakatanggap din ng ayuda ikakabit na natin doon sa pagbabakuna nang masigurado na mas marami sa ating mga kababayan ang mabakunahan,” Roque said.
Meanwhile, according to Department of Health undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, vaccine confidence among Filipinos increased based on a survey conducted from March 19 to 30.
Some 75 percent responded in the affirmative when asked if they would be willing to be vaccinated, while 86 percent believed that COVID-19 jabs are “safe and efficacious.”
The Philippines is aiming to inoculate at least 50 million people by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity against the deadly virus. The number is lower than the initial target of 70 million./PN
