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Voluntary or Mandatory?: Sen. Bong Revilla Jr. asks clarification from government officials during the continuation of the Senate Committee of the Whole hybrid hearing on the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program, whether the inoculation program is voluntary or mandatory. Revilla cited a research survey which showed low acceptance for the COVID-19 vaccines and asked officials how they will tackle the issue. According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the administration has formed a task group jointly led by the Philippine Information Agency and the health department to increase demand generation thru communication and community engagement as well as social listening and crisis communication. “We have currently tapped large associations of health care professionals to help increase the trust of our countrymen that the vaccines we will roll out are safe, effective and quality vaccines,” Duque said Friday, January 15, 2021. Vaccine Czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. told Revilla the first vaccine will be available in the country in February. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)