Palace urges Pinoys to get vaxxed: 'Vaccines are the weapon, not the enemy'

Malacañang reiterated its call on the public to get vaccinated against the coronavirus (COVID-19), saying the jabs are the weapon against the disease and not the enemy.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles as the government held its third national mass vaccination program against COVID-19 in an attempt to increase the number of fully vaccinated individuals and those who received their booster shots.

In a press briefing, Nograles reiterated the importance of believing in science regarding the COVID-19 vaccines and not hearsay.

"Sa gitna ng mga numero at impormasyon, nais po naming mangibabaw ang malinaw na sinasabi ng datos at siyensya: Isa sa pinakamabisa nating naging panangga sa impeksiyon ay ang pagbabakuna (Amidst all the numbers and information, we want to stress what the data and science are saying: One of our most effective lines of defense against the infection is the vaccine)," he said.

"Ang bakuna ay panlaban, hindi kalaban. Sa pagbabakuna, hindi lang po kayo ang makikinabang, kung hindi ang buong bayan (The vaccines are our weapons, not the enemy. The whole country will benefit from it, not just yourselves)," he added.

The acting Palace spokesman enjoined the public to do their part in addressing the pandemic by getting vaccinated, saying the vaccines are safe, effective, and free.

"Sa mga nabakunahan na, kailangan po ninyo ng booster shots para sa karagdagang proteksiyon (For those who were already vaccinated, you need to get your booster shots for added protection)," he said.

"Huwag sana nating palampasin ang pagkakataong ito dahil iisa ang ating gustong mangyari: Ang magbalik normal ang buhay nating lahat (Let's not let this opportunity pass because we all want one thing: to restore normalcy in our lives)," he added.

Data from the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard showed that as of February 17, 2022, a total of 133,234,116 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered while 62,199,764 individuals are fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Nograles reminded the public that while the country is slowly easing restrictions, it is important to continue following minimum public health standards and avoiding closed, close-contact, and crowded settings or the 3Cs.

"Hindi pa po nawawala ang COVID-19 virus, mahigit dalawanlibo pa rin ang nahahawa araw-araw (COVID-19 is still here and we still have over 2,000 cases every day)," he said.