MANILA, Philippines — Amid criticisms over the government’s so-called brand agnostic policy on COVID-19 vaccines, Malacañang on Friday clarified that authorities would still disclose the brand of vaccines to be administered to vaccinees, but only before actual inoculation.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the clarification after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) prohibited local government authorities from announcing in advance the brands of vaccines to be given in sites.
Roque said prospective vaccinees still have the right to know and refuse the vaccine.
“Malinaw ang paliwanag ng DILG na bagamat hindi iaanunsyo ng LGU ang vaccine brand, sasabihin sa mababakunahan ang vaccine brand habang nasa vaccination center,” he said during the Laging Handa public briefing.
(The DILG’s announcement was clear that even though the LGUs may not announce the brand, the vaccinees will still be told of the brand when on-site.)
“Hindi ililihim sa mababakunahan ang bakunang ibibigat sa kanya. Karapatan niya po itong malaman at tanggihan ito,” he added.
(The vaccine brand will not be hidden from the vaccinee. It is within his or her right to know and refuse it.)
Roque urged the public not to be choosy on vaccine brands since all vaccines have undergone thorough study by local and international regulators.
“Ang pinakamabisng bakuna ay ang bakunang ituturok sa inyong mga braso,” he said.
The Palace official earlier claimed it was President Rodrigo Duterte who ordered to refrain from disclosing in advance the vaccine brands that would be administered at jab sites following supposed superspreader events where vaccinees came in droves in certain vaccination centers to get inoculated with the US-made Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.