MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte may still get vaccinated against COVID-19 but it will only be done once supply in the country stabilizes, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Duterte, during his pre-taped regular public address on Monday night, said he will waive his COVID-19 vaccine allocation and instead be given to someone else.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said this is only a temporary pronouncement and he hopes it will change once vaccine supply is already ample.
“Panandaliang sentimyento po ni Presidente ‘yung sinabi niya kahapon na habang hindi pa sapat ang mga bakuna, hahayaan na muna niya na mauna ang ating mga kababayan bago siya,” Roque said in a Palace briefing when asked if the President will no longer get vaccinated at all.
(That is only for now since vaccine supply is not enough.)
“So I hope that will change dahil parating naman po ‘yung marami pang supply lalo na sa mga buwan ng Mayo at ng Hunyo,” he added.
(I hope that will change because supply is coming especially in May and June.)
Asked if the plan to get the President vaccinated in public to boost vaccine confidence, Roque said that vaccine confidence is not a problem for now since supply is limited.
“Importante naman po talaga ang vaccine confidence pero nakikita natin ngayon na dahil limitado rin ang ating supply, hindi problema ngayon ag vaccine confidence,” he said.
(Vaccine confidence is important but as supply is limited right now, it’s not a problem for now.)
“Siguro ‘pag dumagsa na ‘yung ating supply at kinakailangan madaliin na ang pagbabakuna sa lahat, ‘yun ‘yung panahon na magpapabakuna ang ating Presidente,” he added.
(Maybe once supply comes in and the public needs to get vaccinated immediately, that’s the time President Duterte will get his shot.)
In February, the Palace said Duterte is already willing to be vaccinated in public against the new coronavirus in order to boost Filipinos’ confidence in the vaccines.