"More is better than less."
Malacañang welcomed the proposal of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to deploy Filipino nurses to other countries in exchange for more coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III proposed to Germany and the United Kingdom to the deployment of Filipino health care workers (HCWs) in those countries.
Such scenario is premised on the expectation that those countries will provide the Philippines with with COVID-19 vaccines.
The proposal, however, was met with criticisms, including one from former Vice President Jejomar Binay who described the move as "insensitive and dehumanizing."
In his Wednesday presser, Roque said that Malacañang respects the opinion of all Filipinos about the issue as much as it welcomes the move of the DOLE and the DFA.
"Lahat naman po ng opinion ng ating mga kababayan nirerespeto natin dahil meron po tayong kalayaan ng malayang pananalita sa Pilipinas (We respect every opinion of the public because all of us have the right to free speech in the Philippines)," he said.
He, however, said that President Duterte had nothing to do with the move.
"The President was not informed of this proposal, as far as I know," Roque said.
"Hindi po ito ideya ng Presidente. Ideya po ito ni Secretary Bello and Secretary Locsin na wini-welcome din natin (This is not the President's idea. This is the idea of Secretary Bello and Secretary Locsin which we welcome) because more is better than less," he added.
According to the Palace official, it was up to the two cabinet secretaries to make the same offer to other countries.
"That's up to both DFA and DOLE. But as far as the President is concerned, we have ordered more than enough ," Roque said.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., said on Tuesday that Europe “appreciated” Bello's offer. He even praised Bello for his initiative.
Bello has conveyed to both Germany and the UK governments that the Philippines is willing to grant exemption from the deployment cap of Filipino health care workers should they agree to the vaccine request.
The UK, however, has rejected the offer.