Duterte orders equitable distribution of COVID vaccines


No place in the country will have exclusive access to Pfizer vaccines.

Coronavirus vaccines have been prepared for distribution at a vaccination site in Manila on May 18, 2021. (Ali Vicoy/Manila Bulletin)

President Duterte has ordered the equitable distribution of different brands of coronavirus vaccines across the country after expressing dismay with some people's preference for Pfizer jabs.

In a televised address late Wednesday, the President insisted that people should not be choosy with the vaccine brands especially since the country's supply was limited.

"I cannot administer exclusive Pfizer sa isang lugar to the exclusion of other Filipinos. Kaya hindi puwede ho 'yang ano --- eh kailangan talaga i-mix 'yan at saka 'yong blind ang tao sa anong binibigay. Basta may bakuna. Period. And the best bakuna is really the one that's available for you (That's not possible. They must be mixed and the people must be blind to the vaccine brands given. There are vaccines, period. And the best vaccine is really the one that's available for you," Duterte said.

Duterte maintained that there should be fair and equitable access to the vaccines available in the country. Given the limited supply, he told the public not to be "selective" about the brand of vaccine. He said the vaccines, which have been given emergency use approval in the country, have been proven safe and effective in clinical trials.

"There must be equality in everything. Kung sana maraming Pfizer tapos hindi maibigay sa inyo, then you have every reason to complain. But if it is a limited number tapos gusto ninyo sa inyo lang, hindi puwede 'yan. So ang order ko is to mix," he said.

"Kung ayaw ninyo, huwag. Ayaw ninyo ng ibang --- Sinovac and other --- hindi namin problema 'yan (If you dont' want it, then don't. If you don't want Sinovac and others, that's not our problem)," he said.

With the emergence of new coronavirus variants, Duterte said it was better to get vaccinated "right away without being choosy."

The President made the appeal against vaccine discrimination even after he had his own preference for a brand. Duterte got his first dose of Sinopharm vaccine early May but later apologized for using an unregistered jab. He also asked China to take back the 1,000 donated Sinopharm jabs after drawing flak for using an unapproved vaccine.