Duque wants OFWs to be elevated to top of COVID vax priority list

MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Friday that he would recommend to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) be elevated to the top of the government’s COVID-19 vaccination priority list.

“Ako po mismo ang mangangatawan sa Inter-Agency Task Force na iangat po ang estado dito po sa ating prioritization framework,” Duque told lawmakers during a House of Representatives overseas workers affairs committee hearing.

(I will ask the Inter-Agency Task Force to raise their status in the prioritization framework.)

Currently, OFWs are classified as B5 in the prioritization list. If approved, they will move up six spots or A4.

A4, according to the list, are those classified as “frontline personnel in essential sectors including uniformed personnel and those in working sectors identified by the IATF as essential during enhanced community quarantine.)”

The health chief added that he would also propose that OFWs who are health workers be included in the A1 spot, OFWs who are senior citizens may be classified as A2, and the OFWs who have comorbidities may be classified as A3.

“The rest, ipapasok po natin sa A4. ‘Yun po ang aming napagkasunduan kanina at malugod ko pong pangangatawan ito sa IATF sa susunod naming pagpupulong,” Duque told lawmakers.

(The rest, we will include it as A4. That is what we have agreed on and I will relay this in the next IATF meeting.)

Asked by lawmakers when can they have an update on it, Duque said that they can expect the latest by Tuesday.

“By Monday I think we will be able to do this sa meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force. Bago pa ‘yun, kakausapin ko po ang iba pang kalihim na ito po ay suportahan at makakapagbigay po kami ng kasagutan siguro baka mga Martes po,” he said.

(Before that, I will talk this to the other secretaries and give you an answer by Tuesday.)

abc