Tempers flare at Parañaque COVID-19 vaccination site as not everyone receives jabs

Parañaque residents who lined up for hours to get inoculated with the Russia-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday were disappointed after they were unable to receive their doses.

In Ian Cruz’s report on “24 Oras,” a resident whose wife was unable to receive the vaccine said that officials should have informed them of the number of individuals they could accommodate.

“Magbibigay ng numero. Hindi man lang sabihin kung ilan lang ‘yung kaya. Sabihin niyo kung ilan ‘yung kaya ninyo,” he said.

(They’re giving numbers but they didn’t tell us how many they could accommodate. They should inform us how many they can accommodate.)

Task Force Parañaque chief Colonel Rolly Santiago said that the unhappy local had misunderstood how the system worked.

“Nung nalaman niyang may number at saka may ano dapat pinaalam daw sa kanila ng ano. Eh, sila naman ang hindi nakakaalam na merong ganoong usapin,” Santiago said.

(When he found out that we were handing out numbers, he said that they should have been told. But they were the ones who didn’t know that we have this kind of coordination.)

Others, meanwhile, were frustrated with local officials who they claimed had made no effort to explain the situation.

“Tumigil kasi ubos na ‘yung numbers daw nila and then umalis na. So people were left hanging. What are we supposed to do? Di ba? Sabihin lang nila sa amin. Harapin kami, wala na ho, umuwi na kayo,” a resident said.

(They stopped because they ran out of numbers and then they left. So we were left hanging. What are we supposed to do? They should just tell us. Face us, and say there’s no more, you should go home.)

“Pinalabas na na this is very successful, no. Maybe in the press conference, at first, it seemed, right? But then from the very start, I don’t think this is successful… kasi pagpasok pa lang namin wala na talagang right protocol,” another resident complaine.

(They made it seem as if this is very successful, no. Maybe in the press conference, at first, it seemed, right? But then from the very start, I don’t think this is successful because from the moment we entered, there wasn’t any protocol.)

Finally, a local official explained that those who could not be vaccinated on Tuesday would be prioritized during Wednesday's vaccinations.

“Listing all of you today. And definitely, lahat po kayo ay babalik sa amin bukas para po kayo ay mabigyan ng bakuna,” Dr. Olga Virtuso of the Parañaque City Health Office said.

(We're putting you on a list, and all of you will return tomorrow to receive the vaccine.)

— Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News