Duque: We'd welcome if Congress passed measure on mandatory vaccination vs. COVID-19

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday said it would be a welcome development if Congress passed a measure that would make vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory.

Duque made the call amid the dip in the number of Filipinos who get inoculated  against the coronavirus and the millions of vaccine doses which will expire in the next few months.

In the weekly “Talk to the People” of President Rodrigo Duterte, Duque said the government had already exhausted all means to inoculate Filipinos.

“Lahat po ay ginagawa na ng gobyerno Mr. President. Hindi ko na po maisip kung ano pa po pamamaraan ang hindi pa natin nagawa,” Duque said.

(The government is already doing everything, Mr. President. I can't imagine what else we haven't done yet.)

“Although we would welcome Mr. President, if the Senate or Congress, if they can muster that will – political will – to make vaccination and booster (shots) a mandatory like in other countries,” he added.

The health official admitted that this mandate would be “very controversial” but expressed hope that the public would understand the country’s COVID-19 situation.

“Sana naman po maintindihan nila na bumili tayo ng mga bakuna. Tama po kayo Mr. President (in buying vaccines) para maproteksyonan ang publiko, ang atin pong mga kababayan. Eh hindi naman po natin ma-control kung ayaw ng tao ang magpabakuna. Hindi naman pwedeng sapilitan,” Duque pointed out.

(I hope they understand that we buy vaccines. You are right Mr. President (in buying vaccines) to protect the public, our countrymen. We can't control if people don't want to be vaccinated. It cannot be enforced.)

In January, the Department of Transportation implemented a “no vaccination, no ride/entry” in public transport policy in the National Capital Region.

Some local government units in Metro Manila approved ordinances that would ban entry of unvaccinated people in malls, restaurants, and public transportation.

Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta  has said that the policy was unconstitutional and discriminatory.

Duque also asked candidates to include in their platform the importance of getting COVID-19 jabs.

“Nanawagan din po ako sa mga kandidato na habang sila po ang nangangampanya sa nais nilang plataporma ng pamumuno at pamamahala, ikampanya na rin nila yung pagbabakuna…kasi ibig sabihin talagang napakahalaga po itong public health policy ng vaccination natin,” Duque said.

(I also advised the candidates that, in addition to campaigning on the platform of leadership and management that they desire, they should also campaign for vaccination... since this means that our vaccination program is really vital to our public health.)

“So dahil sila naman ay mga influencers, sa kanila pong mga komunidad, maganda na ikampanya din nila ang bakuna…Para talagang whole of nation and whole of government approach tayo,” he added.

(Because they are influencers, in their communities, it is good that they also campaign for the vaccine… We are a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach after all.) —NB, GMA News