President Duterte elated with country’s ‘good’ vaccination record
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday, April 19, expressed satisfaction with the country’s mass vaccination initiatives noting the Philippines is at par with its Asian neighbors.
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President Rodrigo
Roa Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the
Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the
people at the MalacaΓ±ang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in MalacaΓ±ang Park, Manila on
April 19, 2021. KING RODRIGUEZ/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
“Maganda ang record natin despite of unfounded criticisms. But the Philippines was able to get the upper berth, I said, of the countries that are inoculated,” President Duterte said during his weekly public address.
“Maganda ang record niyan and to think that people were almost in a quandary where to get the next vaccination.”
The chief executive noted that he is happy that the country was able to complete the vaccination plan for its frontliners, especially healthcare workers.
He then commended vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. for his efforts in negotiating and securing contracts for COVID-19 jabs as fast as possible.
“Hindi pala tayo ‘yong pinakamahina at mataas nga ‘yong atin,” President Duterte said. “It goes to show that we are really working very hard, especially Secretary Galvez, to get the vaccines here in the Philippines on time.”
Galvez, who is also the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, reported that the Philippines has improved its ranking from eighth to third place among countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with most number of vaccinated individuals.
Some ASEAN countries started inoculating their population as early December 30 and January until February, with only two countries — Vietnam and Brunei, starting vaccinations much later, Galvez said.
Galvez also underscored that from No. 100, the Philippines now ranks 41st out of 173 countries in terms of vaccinations and currently ranks at No. 14 out of over 47 Asian countries.
So, far, the government has recorded 1.2 million Filipinos already vaccinated against COVID-19.
There are 965,960 healthcare workers who got the first dose of COVID-19 shot. Some 132,948 senior citizens and 180,315 persons with comorbidities also received the jab, Galvez reported. PND
