‘Lead by example’: Sotto says to be vaccinated in public

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Thursday said he would be vaccinated in public in support of the government’s Covid-19 inoculation rollout and dispel any doubts about the efficacy of the vaccines being administered under the program.

According to Sotto, the public needs to be assured that the Covid-19 vaccines to be acquired by the government are efficient and safe, saying the “only way to calm a doubting nation is if its leaders take the lead.”

The Senate president also called on government leaders to “step in” and help convince the public to participate in the program, saying the executive’s vaccination information drive has been a “failure.”

“Lead by example. Iyan ang gusto kong gawin. Kung makikita ng ating mga kababayan na handa ang kanilang mga lider na magpabakuna sa kabila ng malawakang pagdududa kung ang mga bakuna ba ay epektibo o hindi, malamang ay ma-engganyo ang nakararami na makilahok sa vaccination program ng Malakanyang,” he said in a statement.

“Hanggang ngayon ay punong-puno pa rin ng alinlangan ang ating mga kababayan kung epektibo nga ba ang mga binibiling bakuna ng Department of Health. Marami pa rin ang nagdadalawang-isip kung sila ba ay magpapabakuna o hindi ,” he added.

Earlier, Malacañang said President Rodrigo Duterte will be vaccinated in private.

Following calls for the President to get inoculated in public to boost the nation’s confidence for the government’s vaccination program, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the chief executive’s decision was final.

“Sabi niya nga, sa puwet siya sa magpapasaksak, so hindi pwede na public,” Roque earlier said.

(He said he will get injected in the buttocks so it can’t be done in public.)

EDV