Catholic prelates are willing to be vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in public if needed if this would help remove the fears of the people on vaccination.

"If the Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had themselves vaccinated and, in my estimation, it helps…if people would see me publicly vaccinated, why not?" Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said in a virtual press briefing Thursday.

He said a priest-molecular biologist, who was one of their speakers during their recent plenary assembly, encouraged the bishops to allow themselves to be vaccinated publicly.

"Father Nicanor Austriaco himself encouraged the bishops to allow themselves to be vaccinated public. Perhaps, even before television so that we can encourage people and remove their fears of vaccination," said Valles.

CBCP Vice President and Caloocan Bishop Pablo David is also willing to be vaccinated in public.

"My answer to that is yes because we are partnering with our local government units in this vaccination program. Anything that can allay the fears of vaccination, we wil offer in the church," he said.

When asked if they would choose which vaccine to have, Valles said:"If I can wait for a good vaccine, yes I would. But if the situation tells me that you cannot wait, I would take any vaccine offered."

Since the rollout of the program of vaccination is challenging, the bishops also offered church facilities as vaccination centers.

"The bishops decided to offer, if needed, church facilities to be vaccination centers or facilities related to the vaccination program especially in difficult areas where they need auditoriums or schools we can offer our church facilities in this massive and quite complicated and very challenging progtam of vaccination," said Valles.