Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Saturday strongly pushed for the government’s grant of incentives to people who go out of their way to get fully vaccinated with the booster shots to further protect themselves from COVID-19 infection, instead of those who refuse to get inoculated.
Moreno, the 47-year-old Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer, stressed that it is unfair for those who wake up very early to go to the vaccination centers in order to get their first shot, second shot and booster shot and not get any incentive from government; while those who refused to get vaccinated are the ones being offered incentives.
The presidential candidate made the statement while inspecting the drive-thru booster shot facility for 4-wheel vehicles in front of the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta.
“For example, you don’t want to get vaccinated, or you stay at home. There’s nothing wrong with that and at least your loved ones can take care of you inside the house. Because look at this, do you believe that at four in the morning someone is already queuing here? So, he persevered. At four in the morning he persevered, to get vaccinated,” Moreno noted.
“Isn’t that unfair to him? The person takes time to line up and yet, we’ll give a bonus to the tolongges? We’ll even give a bonus to the stubborn. Isn’t it wrong for the government? For me, that’s my opinion, wrong. What the government will do when a government agency encourages the stubborn to give a bonus. The obedient should be given a bonus, the good ones,” explained Moreno.
Moreno said what we need to teach our people that those who are good citizens should be the ones raised on the pedestal and should be given privileges.
“You know lip service is good. There are some who gives lip service. Me, I’m just focus to convince you to get vaccinated, convince you to protect yourself, convince you to protect your family, convince you to be a responsible individual to your fellow man and in your community and in your country. So, that is my job. Here is the result,” Moreno pointed out.
Moreno again appealed to those who still refuse to get vaccinated to listen to “Science” and reject the misinformation being peddled by anti-vaxxers.
Moreno added that despite the refusal by some individuals to get the jab, the City Government of Manila will not get tired of reaching out to them.
Moreno maintained that their strategy in Manila is simple: to make vaccination and getting booster shots more accessible and readily available to Manileños as well as those coming from the regions outside Metro Manila.
“Maybe there is no need for incentives because you saw the queue, people really want it. We try to make the vaccine whether first dose, second dose, or booster available how it will be convenient for people. There is a health center, at school, in malls, in the hospital, in the drive-thru. So, we’re still thinking of other ways to bring people closer to access to vaccines,” Moreno said.
Meanwhile, Moreno said the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is entitled to its own opinion when they commented that the new order from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to bar unvaccinated individuals from public transport effectively restricts the exercise and enjoyment of fundamental rights.
On the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s directive for local government units, particularly addressed to the barangays, to come out with a list of persons who remain unvaccinated, Moreno said they are just waiting for the memo from the DILG.
“We are waiting for the memo but if that is the case, we should follow,” he said.
Moreno also welcomed reports that the Department of Health has updated its guidelines on quarantine and isolation periods for vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated persons who are infected or have been close-contact of a COVID-positive individual.
The DOH said the quarantine period for a vaccinated close-contact of a COVID-19 infected person will be shortened from seven days to just five days. But it will still be 14 days for a partially vaccinated or unvaccinated person who is exposed to a sick person.
“If that will come and if scientifically proven that is good. Just imagine I have a 344-bed capacity COVID hospital for mild cases. We are always waiting for 14-days, 10 days,” Moreno said.