Roque: Make COVID-19 vaccination a condition to get cash aid

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday proposed to make vaccination against COVID-19 a prerequisite for individuals before getting cash aid from the government, especially under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

During President Rodrigo Duterte’s pre-recorded public address aired on Tuesday morning, Roque said vaccine hesitancy is still prevalent among the public, and making vaccination a condition before getting aid from the government may encourage them to get vaccinated.

This suggestion comes after vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government may open up vaccinations to the indigent population in the last week of May.

“Siguro pwede natin pag-aralan na isama natin sa kundisyon para sa 4Ps program ay ‘yung pagbabakuna dahil ang daming nakikinabang sa programa na ‘yan at kapag naisama sa condition na ‘yan ay maraming mababakunahan lalung lalo na sa hanay ng mga mahihirap,” Roque said, referring to the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, a government initiative that offers conditional cash grants to the country’s poorest of the poor families.

Roque said this can also be applied to future pandemic cash aid the government may distribute under the proposed Bayanihan 3 law.

However, he clarified that the vaccination will still remain voluntary but it will become a condition if they want to get cash aid.

“Kung mayroon tayong future ayuda, siguro ‘yung mga makakatanggap din ng ayuda ikakabit na natin doon sa pagbabakuna nang masigurado na mas marami sa ating mga kababayan ang mabakunahan,” he said.

(If there is future cash aid to be distributed, maybe beneficiaries can also be asked to be vaccinated before getting their aid so that many more people will get COVID-19 shots.)

“Ito naman ay boluntaryo pa rin, hindi natin sila pinipilit kumbaga magiging kundiyson kung gusto nilang makatanggap ng ayuda,” Roque added.

(This will remain voluntary. We’re just making vaccination as a condition if they want to receive their aid.)

EDV