MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to give their constituents a “little push” to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as he expressed worry about the low inoculation coverage in the area.
“Mga kapatid ko na Muslim pati ‘yung the guys running the BARMM, I’d like also to appeal to Chairman Murad na kindly give a little push for the people there to get vaccinated,” he said in a taped regular briefing on Monday.
(My Muslim brothers and the people running the BARMM, especially Chairman Murad [Ebrahim], I ask you to give a little push for the people there to get vaccinated.)
“Let me just appeal to everybody: Get vaccinated or else we will not be able to solve the problem because ‘yung nabakunahan na, there is always the distinct possibility of ma-contaminate sila ulit,” Duterte added.
(There is a distinct possibility that those who were already vaccinated can get infected again.)
Duterte warned that there is a “distinct possibility” that yet another surge of COVID-19 infections may occur due to variants of the virus.
“Ang problema ‘yung mga variants. There is no way of really telling in advance whether we’ll be hit hard or pangkaraniwan na lang. We are not in the woods. We are still in a bind,” he said.
(The problem is the variants. There is no way of really telling in advance whether we’ll be hit hard or it would be an ordinary disease.)
Duterte said vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. will go to BARMM to talk personally to the officials there to emphasize the importance of COVID-19 vaccines.
“This is science, it has nothing to do with paniwala mo. This has been proven to be true and correct. I don’t know if it’s ignorance or if it’s really a matter of culture. Sabihin mo sa kanila, we honor the culture, but when it comes doon sa mga ginagawa natin to protect the entire nation, your reluctance and lack of interest to be vaccinated, it is not, in my book, a valid reason, na ayaw ninyo,” he said.
(Tell them that we honor the culture but when it comes to what we’re doing to protect the nation, your reluctance and lack of interest to be vaccinated, it’s not a valid reason that you refuse to get vaccinated.)
“BARMM officials, nasa gobyerno kayo. Ginusto niyo yan, sumunod kayo sa gobyerno. I am ordering you to really push the people to take the vaccine because it protects everybody. And your reluctance and kung anong paniwala ninyo diyan, will not erase the…,” Duterte further said.
(You are in the government so you should follow.)
The World Health Organization and the Department of Health earlier warned of a “mini surge” in BARMM due to the low vaccination coverage, according to Galvez.