Senator Cynthia Villar is pushing the government to allow fully vaccinated senior citizens to go out by June 1.
"June 1, nilalakad natin na sa June 1 (we are pushing for June 1)," Villar said in an interview over radio DWIZ on Saturday, May 29.
Villar said she has already spoken to National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez J. about her proposal to ease quarantine restriction for senior citizens, which she first raised during a Senate hearing last Tuesday, May 25.
"Sinabi ko sa kanya, na 'di ba pag na-vaccinate na (I asked him that being vaccinated means) you are safe from death and serious illnesses, ang katatakutan mo na lang mild COVID (so you will only fear getting mild COVID-19)...Mape-prevent naman 'yon (It can be prevented) through the health protocols," she maintained.
She added that hesitant senior citizens could also be enticed to get vaccinated if the government would finally allow them to go out.
Galvez, she said, committed to her that her appeal will be relayed to the Interagency task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
"Palagi ko siya ipapafollow up doon kasi unfair naman 'di ba (I will always follow this up with him, because it i unfair to our senior citizens)," Villar said.
Under the government’s quarantine rules, persons below 18 years and over 65 years old are required to remain in their residences, except for obtaining essential goods and services and for going to work.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque previously assured the seniors that the government will study the proposal on whether to ease the movement restrictions once all of them have been fully vaccinated.