Strengthen information dissemination and greater accessibility rather than mandating vaccinations — Bong Go

Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Health Christopher "Bong" Go reiterated his position that, rather than making vaccination mandatory, efforts should be made to build public understanding and confidence about how vaccinations may safeguard communities and lead to herd immunity and a faster return to normalcy.

Go urged the government and the general public to ramp up their information-dissemination efforts, noting that long-term, awareness-building measures will be more effective in boosting and maintaining vaccine confidence and uptake.

"My position remains the same. Maybe it is not ideal to make vaccination mandatory. Ibig kong sabihin, sa ngayon mahirap pa. Ayaw kong pilitin 'yung Pilipino. Walang pilitan 'to eh," said Go during the opening of Center for Thoracic and Critical Care Medicine in San Juan City on Thursday, April 7.

"The government should exert more effort na ipaintindi (ano at bakit dapat magpabakuna)," he added.

While some stakeholders and officials want to make vaccinations mandatory, Go said that no legislation currently exists to provide for such a policy.

"Hindi naman natin puwedeng gawing mandatory 'yan without a law being passed... walang batas. So, sa ngayon siguro medyo hati ang posisyon ng iba't ibang tao," explained the senator.

"Ako naman, kung hindi pa tayo makapagpasa ng batas, unahin muna nating ipaintindi sa mga kababayan natin (kung bakit dapat magpabakuna)," he added.

Seeking to complement the vaccination rollout with intensive information dissemination efforts, Go urged authorities to intensify its vaccination campaign and increase vaccine confidence.

"So, ako po'y nakikiusap sa Executive department and as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, ipaintindi natin sa publiko ng mabuti," said Go.

"Suyurin niyo sa LGUs kayo po ang nakakaalam kung saang sulok po, sa mga bahay o lugar diyan... kung sino po ang hindi bakunado," he added.

The senator also asked the Department of Health to send vaccination teams to the most isolated and poor communities, and ensure efficient distribution of vaccines.

Meanwhile, Go then urged Filipinos nationwide to continue adhering to the necessary health and safety protocols, such as proper mask use and social distancing, especially amid the ongoing election campaign season.

"Disiplina na lang po ang kailangan. I'm appealing sa mga kandidato na sumunod na lang po kayo at ipakita niyo po na kayo po ang magandang halimbawa na sumusunod sa mga health protocols," said Go.

"Magtulungan na lang po tayo para hindi na kumalat ang sakit at magkaroon tayo ng peaceful, honest at malusog na pagka-conduct ng eleksyon," he added.