President Duterte warned the private sector not to even try to spread fake coronavirus vaccines even though he allowed them to bring in an unlimited supply of the vaccine in the country.
Duterte, known for his tough talk and candid remarks, did not mince words against those who will sell fake vaccines amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.
“So ‘yong mga private sector, warning lang ito ha. Huwag ninyo akong pilitin. Baka pupulutin talaga kayo kung saan-saan (So for the private sector, this is just a warning. Don’t force me. You might find yourselves somewhere),” he said during a televised address Monday, March 29.
“Ang mga tao magpabakuna, magbayad nang mahal dahil nga may bakuna available hindi na maghintay (People would have themselves vaccinated, they would pay at high price because there are available vaccine). I’m just warning you, huwag na huwag kayong magkamali dito na hirap na ang Pilipino tapos dagdagan mo ng ganitong pamaraan ng hanapbuhay (don’t make a mistake here given the hardships of Filipinos then you add burden with this way of making a living),” he stressed.
The Chief Executive said companies can just fake candies instead of medicines.
“I am warning you. I say it now, I’m saying it again and I will not say it anymore: Huwag kayong magkamali dito (Don’t make a mistake here).”
Duterte also said if private companies will insist on faking medicines, he will give them what they deserve.
“Kung gusto mo na, panahon mo, eh ‘di sige. Ganito lang ang mundo eh, hindi mo mapigil ‘yang mga ganitong klaseng krimen (If you like it to be your time, okay. This is how the world works, we cannot stop these kinds of crimes),” he added.
Meanwhile, the President asked the public to “stretch your patience and understanding.”
Saying that “the best of our best talent” are trying to get the vaccine “from anywhere,” Duterte asked for understanding because “we are doing our best.”
“We are not a vaccine producing country. Wala tayong expertise, wala tayong knowledge, medical-scientific knowledge. So naghihintay tayo (We do not have expertise, we do not have the knowledge, medical-scientific knowledge. So, we are waiting).”
One million doses of China’s Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines arrived in the country on Monday, but the President admitted these are not enough for the inoculation of health care workers and the next category in the government’s vaccination priority list—the senior citizens.
Previously, the country only has a supply of vaccines courtesy of a direct donation from China’s Sinovac and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVAX facility, which sent AstraZeneca doses.