Malacañang urged the public to get themselves vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac, saying there is no reason to fret since most items available in the market are made in China.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement as the government stepped up its information drive about the vaccine to raise awareness and build confidence among the public as the people continue to doubt the efficacy and safety of the drug.

In a radio interview, Roque said the public is free to wait for their preferred vaccine brand but urged them to think about the more contagious new COVID-19 variant that recently entered the country.

"Isipin po ninyo ay mayroong new variant na mas nakakahawa. Bagama’t ito nga po daw ay hindi mas seryoso kaysa sa ordinaryong variant, hindi po natin masasabi (There is a new variant that is more contagious. Although the say it is not more severe, we never can tell)," he told DZRH on Friday.

"Kaya kung ako kayo, magpabakuna na, dahil mas mabuti na iyong may proteksiyon kaysa doon sa wala (If I were you, get vaccinated because it's better for you to have protection than none at all)," he added.

According to Roque, there is no reason for the public to doubt the Chinese vaccine since many items that people use every day are made in China.

"Huwag po kayong mag-aalala kasi kung titingnan ninyo araw-araw ang buhay ninyo, halos lahat ng ginagamit natin made in China. Iyan na po ang realidad (Do not worry because if you look at it, almost everything that we use is made in China. That's the reality)," he said.

"From kinakain to ginagamit sa bahay, halos lahat po iyan made in China. Ganoon din po siguro ang mangyayari sa vaccine, wala pong pagbabago iyan sa ating pang-araw-araw na buhay (From the food we eat to our household items, almost all of them are made in China. The vaccine is just like that. It's no different from the things we use everyday)," he added.

The Palace official said the Philippines is lucky to have an economic powerhouse like China as a neighbor country, noting that the country has many Chinese investors.

"Iyan po ang realidad na economic powerhouse ang China, mabuti na lang kapitbahay natin at pupuwede rin tayong makiangkas sa kaniyang pag-unlad (The reality is China is an economic powerhouse. Good thing for us that we're neighbors and we can ride along with its progress)," Roque said. 

Roque said on Thursday that Sinovac was not the most expensive in the market and it was given to the Philippines at a "BFF" (best friends forever) price. The Philippine government has recently procured 25 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine brand.