Robredo camp questions proposed ‘no vax, no subsidy’ policy for 4Ps beneficiaries

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo questioned on Sunday the proposed “no COVID-19 vaccination, no subsidy” for beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) recently suggested the policy, citing that “many” of the four million beneficiaries of the antipoverty program are unvaccinated against COVID-19 or are hesitant to receive the shot.

“Si VP Leni sinabi na niya na ito ilang beses, sa kanyang pananaw, hindi dapat pilitan ang ginagawa, hindi dapat pananakot,” Robredo’s spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said during the BISErbisyong LENI program on DZXL.

(Leni said this many times already, people should not be forced or threatened.)

“Madaming solusyon na hindi kailangang pwersahan, ‘yun ang sinasabi ni VP Leni batay sa kanyang sariling karanasan,” he said.

(There are many solutions that don’t require force, Leni says, based on her experience.)

Gutierrez explained that based on the experience of the Office of the Vice President’s vaccine express, there are individuals who are skeptical in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. This is rooted in their fear of skipping work when side effects emerge as this could lead to loss of income and failure to provide food on the table.

To address this issue, an incentive should be provided instead of threats, the spokesman pointed out.

“So, minsan ang kailangan lang habulin incentive. Bibigyan mo ng katiyakan na kahit ikaw lagnatin, kailangan mo magpahinga ng isa o dalawang araw, hindi mo kailangan alalahanin ang iyong pamilya,” he expounded.

(Sometimes, an incentive is what is needed. Give them assurance that even though they get a fever or need to rest for one or two days, they do not have to worry for their family.)

Meanwhile, an intensified information campaign must be in place to encourage individuals who are reluctant to get an anti-COVID shot, said Gutierrez.

Based on the recent survey of the Social Weather Stations, 64 percent of Filipinos are now willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19, higher than the 55 percent recorded in June.

Earlier, a member of the country’s Vaccine Expert Panel stressed that vaccine hesitancy remains as the government’s “biggest challenge” in the COVID-19 immunization program.

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