Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez said that President Rodrigo Duterte wants healthcare workers to be prioritized in the government’s vaccination program and not local officials or mayors.

Galvez seeks the patience and understanding of local leaders who initially volunteered to get the Sinovac jab to boost public confidence on the Sinovac vaccine.

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“Once na nag-start po tayo ng vaccine sa ating mga mayors, lahat po ng mayors sa baba, magpapa-vaccine po yan. It will compromise yung tinatawag po natin na slots para sa ating healthcare workers. Sana maintindihan po natin, pasensya na po kayo,” he said in a speech in Marikina City.

“Kasi kahapon po, mainit ang discussion namin sa Malacañang tungkol po dyan. At nagdecide na po ang Presidente natin na unahin muna ang healthcare workers,” he added.

Galvez said that Duterte wants to see more vaccines arrive first before they can take their COVID-19 vaccine shots.

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“Sabi niya kapag 2 million na yung ating stockpile, pwede na sila. Kung pwede, konting pasensya lang po. Kasi mangilan-ngilan lang po ang ating vaccine,” Galvez said.

The Philippines has kicked off its vaccination program on Monday following the arrival of 600,000 Sinovac vaccines donated by the Chinese government. (TDT)

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