Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Tuesday, May 25, appealed to President Duterte, Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., and other concerned officials to consider giving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), including seafarers, the appropriate and acceptable vaccines in their respective countries of destination.

“May ilan sa kanila na nag-aalinlangan na magpabakuna rito sa atin dahil may ibang mga bansa na naghahanap ng specific na brand, bagama’t napatunayan na namang ligtas at epektibo ang mga bakunang mayroon tayo (Some of the OFWs are hesitant to be vaccinated here in our country because some countries are looking for specific brand, despite proof that the vaccines we have here are safe and effective),” Go said in a statement.

“Hindi natin sila makukumbinsing magpabakuna ngayon kung takot silang hindi naman tanggap sa pupuntahan nilang bansa ang brand na ituturok sa kanila dito sa Pilipinas (We cannot convince them to get the vaccine now if they are afraid that the brand to be injected to them here in the Philippines are not acceptable in their host countries),” he added.

The chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health emphasized OFWs must be vaccinated immediately so they could resume their work abroad.

"Hindi na sila makakapag-antay pa ng panahon kung kailan magiging compliant na ang anumang brand ng bakuna sa iba’t ibang bansang pupuntahan nila (They cannot wait anymore as to when the brand of the vaccine will be declared compliant in the different countries of their destinations),” he pointed out.

If possible, Go said the government could allocate the appropriate vaccine that is acceptable in their countries of destination, adding that this be also done in compliance with the requirements for vaccines coming from the COVAX facility, as well as the Philippines' vaccine prioritization order.

He recalled that in his meetings with Galvez, the vaccine czar supposedly said that it is allowed to allocate a select, appropriate or acceptable brand for the OFWs.

“Inaasahan naman nating may humigit-kumulang na 10 milyong bakuna na darating ngayong Hunyo. Kaya kung ano ‘yung mga brand na angkop sa kondisyon o pangangailangan ng bawat sektor, tulad ng OFWs, ay dapat ma-allocate na nang maayos (We are expecting the arrival of some 10 million vaccines this coming June. Therefore, whatever brand that is appropriate in a condition or need of every sector, such as the OFWs, it should be allocated properly),” Go said.

“Sa ating OFWs, kapag dumami na po ang supply at nailatag na ang mga mekanismo upang maibigay sa inyo ang klase ng bakuna na kailangan ninyo, ipapakita n’yo na lang ang inyong passport at ibang dokumento bilang pruweba na pasok kayo sa ‘OFWs to be deployed immediately’ na nabibilang sa A4 category (To our OFWs, once we have already secured the supply and the mecahanism are already in place for the distribution of the vaccine that you need, just present your passport and other documents as proofs for your immediate deployment and that you belong to the A4 category),” he assured.