MANILA, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao said Monday he is willing to be vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine from Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac Biotech even before the public gets it.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, Pacquiao was asked if he was willing to be one of the first to be vaccinated to allay fears of the public towards vaccination, to which the senator responded in the affirmative.
“Ang sinasabi ko sa kanila, pag na-approve na yang vaccine, pag may vaccine na, ako muna magpa-vaccine para bago ang sambayanang Pilipino—bago yung mahihirap,” Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao was then asked if he is also willing to get vaccinated with the vaccine from China.
“Willingly, ako unang magpa-vaccine bago i-vaccinate yang mga tao,” Pacquiao responded.
COVID-19 policy chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. earlier said Sinovac’s vaccine may be the first to be rolled out in the country.
However, bribery claims are putting serious questions into the efficacy and safety of Sinovac’s vaccine after US newspaper Washington Post reported that the firm had been found to have a record of bribing Chinese drug regulators to secure vaccine approvals.
But Malacañang is unfazed by the controversy, saying that it trusts the regulatory process of the country’s FDA to ensure that the vaccine is safe for use.