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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Palace hits 'crab mentality' of critics of COVID vaccination drive

Palace hits 'crab mentality' of critics of COVID vaccination drive

Published Jun 1, 2021 06:00 pm

The government is hoping the coronavirus vaccination drive will pick up as additional vaccines are expected to arrive in the country.

Government frontliners receive Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines at the vaccination hub in Taguig City on May 04, 2021 (Ali Vicoy/Manila Bulletin)

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque defended the vaccination effort after slamming the alleged crab mentality of some people criticizing its alleged sluggish pace.

Roque explained that the vaccination in the country has just commenced and asked critics not to root for its failure.

"Ang panawagan ko lang sa mga kritiko, huwag naman pong utak talangka ‘no. Talaga naman pong dadami’t dadami iyan, habang dumadami ang supply at habang nagiging mas efficient tayo sa pagbabakuna (My appeal to critics is please avoid crab mentality. The vaccination number will really go higher while the supplies increase and we become more efficient in the vaccination)," Roque said during a televised press briefing Tuesday, June 1.

"Huwag naman natin ipagdasal na mabigo itong ating vaccination plan na ito dahil nakasalalay po ang buhay natin mismo dito sa planong ito (Let's not pray for the failure of our vaccination plan because our lives depend on this plan)," he said.

READ: PH accelerates vaccination program as administered jabs breach 5-M mark

Since the vaccination started last March, the government has administered more than 5.1 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, mostly to health workers, seniors and those with comorbidity. Of this number, over a million people have been fully vaccinated. This month, the government plans to start giving free inoculations to the essential workers initially in Metro Manila and eight other areas.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez earlier took pride that the country has the highest vaccination rate among Southeast Asian nations with 150,000 doses administered per day. The country however reportedly had a lower ranking among most regional neighbors in terms of vaccinated portion of the target population.

The government previously bared plans to inoculate 58 million Filipinos before the end of the year to attain herd immunity. But it later used the term "population protection" goal in announcing efforts to vaccinate 9.7 million people in National Capital Region by November 2021.

READ: PH has highest COVID vaccination 'throughput' in ASEAN; Galvez explains what it means

Related Tags

Harry Roque covid-19 vaccination critics Carlito Galvez Jr. crab mentality
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