Robredo: Comms plan needed to boost confidence in COVID-19 vaccines

The government must ready a communications plan to encourage Filipinos to get inoculated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday after polls found that the public was skeptical about vaccines.

“Kailangan bigyan ng focus iyong kung papaano ba kukumbinsehin iyong tao na… may mga risks, ‘di ba, pero dapat mahalaga na maintindihan ng tao na iyong benefits nito mas marami kaysa sa risks na hinaharap,” she said in her weekly radio show.

A Pulse Asia survey earlier found that 47% of Filipinos were unwilling to get vaccinated

Another poll by the OCTA Research group showed that only 25% of Metro Manila residents were willing to get shots of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Robredo said the Dengvaxia controversy and other issues surrounding vaccines may have dampened public trust in vaccination campaigns.

“Kaya kailangan hanapan ng maayos na communications plan… Kasi [kung] mas kaunti iyong gustong magpabakuna, hindi natin malalampasan iyong krisis na ito,” she said.

The Vice President previously urged for a massive education drive ahead of the expected rollout of vaccines this year.

Robredo also stressed the need for the nation’s leaders to prove that vaccines must not be feared.

“Ang mahalaga, iyong mga lider natin, iyon iyong nagpapakita na walang dapat ikatakot sa bakuna para makumbinsi iyong tao, hindi iyong patago. Kasi kapag patago, marami pang mga kaakibat na mga kuwento na hindi nakakatulong,” she said.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier revealed that several soldiers received shots of an unauthorized COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, Robredo urged private companies to invest in the vaccination of their employees, if they have the means for it.

“Hinihikayat din natin iyong mga companies na kaya naman gumastos para sa sarili nilang vaccination ng employees, sana mag-invest. Kasi bawat company na mag-i-invest, bawat LGU na mag-i-invest, tulong ito. Tulong ito sa ating lahat,” she said.

Robredo noted that there was a workaround to restrictions that prevent private companies from negotiating directly with vaccine manufacturers.

“Kung gusto mong, parang mag-piggy back iyong tao, parang makidamay, sa areglo sa national government, parang iyong 50% na bibilhin mo, donation mo iyon sa national government. Iyong 50% iyon iyong gagamitin mo sa company mo,” she said.

Several local government units earlier announced the allocation of millions of pesos for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines through a tripartite agreement.

The Philippines recorded 487,690 infections as of Sunday afternoon.  — DVM, GMA News