Can’t fully open economy unless most Filipinos have access to COVID-19 vaccines — Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he will only open the economy once he sees that COVID-19 vaccines are available to most Filipinos.

“Kapag every Filipino ganyan ang sitwasyon na magpabakuna na lang sila, wala nang kulang at walang maraming kutso-kutso, then I will open it [economy] immediately,” he said in a speech at Valenzuela City.

(When every Filipino can get vaccinated, no more shortage, then I will open the economy immediately.)

“Hindi kailangan lahat, basta makita ko lang yan, that is the standard, hindi naman lahat sabay sabay yan eh. But if I see most of the citizens can avail of the vaccine in any of the health centers, hospitals, at wala nang, that is the standard, then I will reopen everything sa ating ekonomiya,” the President added.

(Not all Filipinos need to be vaccinated before I order the reopening of economy, but I just have to see that. That is the standard.)

The government has only just started its COVID-19 vaccination program this week following the arrival of 600,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines developed by Chinese drugmaker Sinovac BioTech.

So far, some 8,559 individuals in the Philippines are already vaccinated against COVID-19, according to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

The President previously thumbed down the proposal to place the entire country under the less restrictive modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) unless the government has rolled out its immunization program.

He likewise nixed the call to allow face-to-face classes even in low-risk areas.

President Duterte is set to welcome on Thursday the arrival of 487,200 doses of COVID-19 vaccines developed by British-Swede drugmaker AstraZeneca.

EDV