Recognizing many people are already growing impatient, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque assured the public that the much-awaited coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines are coming soon.
Roque made the statement when he made a guest appearance on the country's longest-running noontime show "Eat Bulaga!" Saturday, Feb. 20, and played in the "Bawal Judgmental" segment.
Before Roque started testing his intuition, comedian and program host Vic Sotto asked Roque about the recent developments in the government's vaccine procurement efforts.
"'Wag po kayong mag-alala, meron lang konting hitches, pero paparating na rin po ang bakuna para tayo ay magbalik-buhay (Do not worry, there are just a few hitches but the vaccine are arriving soon so we can go back to our normal lives)," Roque said.
"Pangako po 'yan (That's a promise)," he added.
Roque explained that the delivery of the vaccines was delayed because pharmaceutical firms like Pfizer and AstraZeneca required an indemnification agreement. He said the vaccine manufacturers were wary because of the Dengvaxia controversy where drug manufacturer Sanofi was dragged into a legal mess over the reported deaths linked to the dengue vaccine.
"Gusto nila ngayon eh magkaroon ng assurance na hindi mangyari yung nangyari sa Dengvaxia na dinemanda yung gumawa ng bakunang yun (They wanted an assurance that there will not be a repeat of the Dengvaxia mess)," he said.
The Palace official likewise assured the public that they will not be given life-threatening vaccine shots.
"Hindi naman po 'yan ibibigay sa kanila nang hindi dumaan sa masusing pagsusuri at mga eksperto po ang nagsabi na ligtas at epektibo 'yan (The vaccines will not be given to them without the shots undergoing scrutiny and experts have said that the vaccines are safe and effective)," Roque said.
"So pagdating po ng bakuna, pila-pila na tayo sa bakuna dahil 'yan talaga ang magiging solusyon dito sa ating pandemyang COVID-19 (So once the vaccine arrives, let's all line up to get vaccinated because this is really the solution to the COVID-19 pandemic)," he added.
On Feb. 18, President Duterte certified as urgent the bills seeking to establish an indemnity fund for those getting the COVID-19 vaccines.
According to Roque, the government will set aside P500 million for the vaccine recipients who may show adverse side effects after getting the shot.
Talks about the indemnification agreement surfaced after Pfizer and AstraZeneca, two pharmaceuticals that received an EUA from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), required such an agreement before the vaccine doses could be delivered.
On Feb. 17, Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said that the national government has finally submitted the required indemnification agreement to the two vaccine manufacturers.