Pacquiao opposes mandatory COVID-19 vaccination

Presidential aspirant Senator Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday said he is opposed to mandatory vaccination against COVID-19.

In a radio interview, Pacquiao pointed out that the free will of a person should be respected.

“Hindi ho ako sang-ayon diyan (I don’t agree with mandatory vaccination),” he said.

“Huwag po natin alisin yung karapatan ng tao na pumili kasi yan po ang ibinigay sa atin ng Panginoon na free will to choose,” he added.

(Let us not take away the right of the person to choose because God gave us free will to choose)

On Tuesday, the Department of Health (DOH) said it hopes to achieve a total of 54 million fully vaccinated Filipinos by the end of the year.

As of Monday, around 38.7 million individuals have been fully inoculated against COVID-19.

At least 23 highly urbanized cities, mostly in Metro Manila, have already reached herd immunity against COVID-19, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News