By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – Malacañang on Friday said it was elated that more than half of Filipinos have expressed confidence over the government’s evaluation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines.
“Nagagalak po kami na tumaas na po ang vaccine confidence to 51 percent (We are happy that vaccine confidence went up to 51 percent),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Laging Handa briefing.
Roque was referring to the results of the Social Weather Stations’ (SWS) April 28 to May 2 survey which found that 51 percent of adult Filipinos are “confident” about the government’s evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines.
Only 17 percent are “not confident,” while 31 percent are uncertain, according to the SWS poll.
Roque said the government would continue convincing the public to get inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines.
“Nagagalak po kami na 30 porsiyento ang dapat kumbinsehin pa. Kaya nga po magkakaroon tayo ng bagong massive infomercial campaign. At doon sa 17 percent, hindi pa rin tayo maggi-give up diyan dahil importante po lahat ng Pilipino ay mabakunahan (We are happy that we just need to convince 30 percent [who are undecided]. That’s why we will have a massive infomercial campaign. And we will not give up to the 17 percent [who are not confident] because it is important that all Filipinos get vaccinated),” he said.
The same survey revealed that 32 percent of Filipinos are “willing” to get vaccinated against COVID-19, 33 percent are “unwilling,” and the remaining 35 percent are undecided.
Around 58 percent of those “very confident” about the government’s evaluation of the vaccines are willing to receive the COVID-19 jabs, SWS noted.
SWS interviewed around 1,200 respondents using sampling error margins of ±3 percentage points for national percentages and ±6 percentage points for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Duterte-Robredo infomercial?
President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration aims to inoculate up to 70 million Filipinos by year-end to achieve herd immunity.
The government intends to have another infomercial to address vaccine hesitancy.
On Thursday, Senator Joel Villanueva suggested the production of an infomercial featuring Duterte and Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo to promote COVID-19 vaccines.
Roque, however, said Robredo should give a clear stance on COVID-19 vaccines first.
This, after Robredo earlier backed the healthcare workers’ previous call to review the COVID-19 vaccines developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech.
“So, linawin muna natin kung ano ang paninindigan talaga ni VP Robredo. Dahil sa mula’t mula naman po, ang Presidente, walang tigil na nagsasabi na ang bakunang pinakamagaling ay ang bakunang naririyan na (So, we should first be enlightened about the real stance of VP Robredo because from the very start, the President keeps on saying that the most effective vaccine is the vaccine that we currently have),” Roque said.
Safe, effective
Roque maintained that all COVID-19 vaccines in the country are “safe and effective.”
He made the remarks, as he reiterated his call on the public not to be choosy on vaccine brands.
“Lahat ng mga bakuna ay dumaan po sa masusing pag-aaral at standards (All vaccines underwent thorough study and standards),” Roque said. (PNA)-rir
