Palace says no need for law mandating COVID-19 vaccination yet

Malacañang said Thursday there is no need for a law mandating COVID-19 vaccination just yet.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the position three days after President Rodrigo Duterte said that those who are hesitant in taking a COVID-19 vaccine are a problem, and that these people should be injected with the vaccine while they are sleeping at night.

"That is for Congress to enact if it wishes to, but let's see. The level of individuals who want to get the vaccine is very high, baka hindi pa naman kinakailangan sa ngayon (We don't see it as a necessity at this point)," Roque said.

"A lot of people want to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Let us vaccinate them first before we pass a law for mandatory vaccination against COVID-19," Roque added.

Earlier in the day, Roque said Duterte was just joking when he said that those who don't want to get vaccinated be given the jab while sleeping. "Alam na po natin ang sagot diyan. Joke only naman po (We already know the answer, it was a joke)," Roque said when asked on Unang Balita if the President was serious in his remark.

"Si Presidente naman po, habang nagto-Talk to the People, gusto mapatawa ang sarili niya. Joke po 'yun (The President wanted to have a laugh at himself while making his speech. It was a joke)," he added.

Teeming with COVID-19 supply

Likewise, Roque said that the country is teeming with COVID-19 vaccine supply with 88 million doses already delivered to the country thus far.

"We have enough supply,  so we have to protect ourselves by getting vaccinated against COVID-19," Roque said.

"Sagana po tayo ngayon sa [COVID-19] vaccines (We have abundance of COVID-19 vaccines)," Roque added.

While 88 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered, only 23.7 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so far.

That figure is just 30% of the country's 109 million population, way below the target of vaccinating 80% to 90% of Filipinos by May 9, 2022. — RSJ, GMA News