Robredo: Offer incentives to boost COVID-19 vaccination drive

Teenagers wait with their parents for their turn during an innoculation drive of young people aged 12 to 17 against COVID-19 in Taguig City last November 10, 2021. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines —  Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said thay COVID-19 testing should be incentivized, in reaction to President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier order to restrain unvaccinated individuals.

Duterte earlier directed barangay captains nationwide to prevent unvaccinated constituents from leaving their residence amid the spike in COVID-19 cases.

Robredo, however, said a positive reinforcement is better to encourage individuals to get an anti-COVID shot.

“Hindi krimen ‘yung magpabakuna pero babalik ako du’n sa dati kong paniniwala na kailangan nagbibigay tayo ng incentive para magpabakuna ‘yung mga tao,” she said during the BISErbisyong LENI program on DZXL.

(Vaccination is not a crime but I will go back to my old belief that we should give incentives to encourage vaccination.)

Vice President Leni Robredo discusses her platforms of governance and shared some of her proposals in addressing issues the country is facing today when she faced members of the media in a press conference held at the Sorsogon City Gymnasium in Sorsogon in October last year. (Photo by Charlie Villegas / OVP)

“For many months now, marami tayong supply, so dapat nakaisip na ng mas creative na mga paraan para mag-incentivize sa mga taong magpabakuna,” she pointed out.

(For many months now, we have a sufficient supply of vaccines, so the administration should have thought of creative ways to incentivize vaccination.)

She added that the measures to encourage vaccination should not be “punitive.”

“So, para sa ‘kin, kailangan lang pinag-iisipan. Kailangan pinag-iisipan, hindi ‘yung punitive na kaagad ‘yung iniisip [na] ‘pag hindi ka nagpabakuna, huhulihin ka o ‘pag hindi ka nagpabakuna ganito,” she said.

(For me, it should be well-thought of, not being punitive that if you do not get vaccinated, you will be arrested.)

“Parang mas mabuti sana mas positive na ‘pag nagpabakuna ka, ganito ‘yung ma-e-enjoy mong privileges,” the vice president continued.

(It would be better if the approach is positive, like offering certain privileges if you get vaccinated, )

Based on the Department of Health’s data, around 50.6 million individuals in the Philippines are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, lower than the country’s target of 54 million to achieve population protection.

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