Bong Go reiterates: "Vaccine rollout first before relaxing quarantine restrictions"

Amid proposals to relax Metro Manila community quarantine status from general community quarantine to modified general community quarantine, Senator Christopher "Bong" reiterated his position to allow the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines first before relaxing further community quarantine restrictions in the Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

"Para sa akin, personally, bakuna first. Bakuna first. Vaccine rollout first bago ninyo buksan... Vaccine rollout first bago natin luwagan ang ating ekonomiya," Go said in an interview after personally attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the Northeastern Misamis General Hospital in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental on Friday, February 19.

Go said that the situation in the country remains perilous without the implementation and rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

"Dahil delikado pa po ang panahon. Importante po ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino. Ulitin ko, ang pera po ay ating kikitain. Pero 'yung perang kikitain po natin ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay," Go said.

"Kaya importante sa akin ang kalusugan, buhay ng bawat Pilipino bago natin unti-unting luwagan," he added.

Some officials have earlier proposed for the country to be put under the less restrictive MGCQ to revive its ailing economy. The more relaxed community quarantine will allow industries previously prevented from operating to resume or reopen.

The Metro Manila Council voted in favor of the proposal, with nine mayors voting for MGCQ, and eight voting to retain the current GCQ status.

The Metro Manila mayors and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, then, agreed to recommend placing the entire country under MGCQ in March, subject to the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte next week.

Go said that he is open to relaxing quarantine protocols if the proposal will be further studied and suggested in the coming months once the national vaccine program has commenced.

Go shared that President Duterte and his cabinet will discuss the proposal during a cabinet meeting next week. "Pag-uusapan ni Pangulong Duterte with the cabinet on Monday, sa February 22, kung papayagan nilang luwagan na at gawin na pong MGCQ po ang buong Metro Manila o buong bansa," he revealed.

As for Go, he said that he is steadfast with his position not to relax restrictions without vaccine rollout.

"Pero para sa akin, rollout first before natin luwagan ang ating quarantine restrictions. Remember, importante po ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino. Period," he ended.