Bong Go assures LGUs that national government will help them acquire sufficient vaccines for their constituents to ensure more protection against COVID-19 in critical areas

As local government units exert efforts to acquire vaccines against COVID-19 for their constituents, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go assured them that the national government will provide the support necessary so that critical areas can be provided vaccines despite the limited global supply for COVID-19 doses.

"Marami na pong gustong mag-order ng bakuna na mga LGUs. Kaya lang ang problema po---supply. Ang may prayoridad po sa ngayon ay 'yung mga... ay 'yung national government. Eh kasi ang national government po ang pumipirma po doon sa Indemnification Agreement," explained Go.

"So, sila po 'yung nabibigyan ng priority dahil unang-una, halimbawa 'yung sa COVAX Facility, mula po 'yon sa WHO (World Health Organization) ay inuuna po 'yung mga national government natin para ma-prioritize kaagad 'yung mga nasa priority list - frontliners, senior citizens, persons with comorbidities, itong mga economic frontliners. So tuluy-tuloy po 'yan," he added.

Earlier this year, Go expressed his support for a Senate resolution allowing local government units to buy their own COVID-19 vaccines for their constituents. With the guidance of the national government, Go said that this should expedite the process of procuring sufficient supply of safe and effective vaccines for all Filipinos.

While the supplies of LGUs which procured their own doses are yet to arrive, Go urged them to utilize those provided by the national government and ensure that they are distributed efficiently in their respective localities.

"So, sa ngayon, nakikiusap po ako sa LGUs habang hindi pa po dumarating ang inyong supply, ay unahin n'yo po ang supply ng national at iturok kaagad... Pagdating turok kaagad, ayusin n'yo po 'yung deployment," said Go, urging these LGUs to strictly follow the priority list of the national vaccination program.

"Magtulungan po tayo. Hindi po kayang gawin ng national government lang ito. Nasa kamay po ng LGUs 'yung pagdeploy ng bakuna, 'yung priority list dapat masunod pa rin. Kung maaari po, suyurin n'yo po, puntahan n'yo 'yung mga bahay ng mga kababayan natin, 'yung mga senior citizens na takot pong lumabas. Puntahan n'yo po ang mga bahay doon n'yo po i-encourage na magpabakuna," he said.

Go also urged the public, particularly individuals belonging to the priority groups, not to fear the vaccine and get inoculated.

"Sa mga senior citizens naman, nasa priority list naman kayo, magpabakuna na po kayo para makalabas po kayo. Habang hindi kayo bakunado, mas mahihirapan kayo, nakakulong kayo diyan sa inyong mga bahay. Kaya sa mga senior citizens na nasa priority list, please avail of the vaccines," said Go.

"Huwag n'yo na pong ipagpaliban ang inyong karapatan na magpabakuna. Nasa inyo na po ang bola ngayon na dapat na ho kayong magpabakuna," he added.

Go also said that President Rodrigo Duterte has already instructed the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases to immediately deploy vaccines to high risk areas amid reports of rising COVID-19 cases in some localities.

"Pinabigyan na po ng priority ni Pangulong Duterte ang mga probinsya. So, ibig sabihin nito, lahat po lalung-lalo na 'yung medyo nasa critical stage, yung mga tumataas po 'yung kaso... ay pinapa-priority ni Pangulo," said Go.

Go also shared some updates regarding the national vaccination program. According to him, more than 8.4 million doses have been administered so far while the country has already received 14.2 million COVID-19 doses from various sources. An additional 11 million vaccines are expected to arrive in July.

"Ulitin ko, mga kababayan ko, magtiwala ho kayo sa bakuna. Huwag ho kayong matakot sa bakuna. Ang bakuna po ang solusyon o susi para unti-unti na tayong makabalik sa normal na pamumuhay at makamtan natin, maabot natin ang herd immunity," said Go.

"Ang target po natin na herd immunity ngayong taon na ito. 'Yun po ang importante, herd immunity - ibig sabihin hindi na po sana kumalat 'yung sakit dahil nakamtan na natin 'yung herd immunity. 'Yun po ang pinakaimportante, around 70 million Filipinos must be inoculated o mabakunahan po para po ma-achieve natin 'yung herd immunity para unti-unti na tayong makabalik sa normal nating pamumuhay," he added.