Senator Risa Hontiveros opposed the suggestion of presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to make COVID-19 vaccination a requirement for 4Ps beneficiaries.
“Hindi dapat binubully ang publiko para magpabakuna. Kaunting galang at respeto naman sa mga mahihirap. Walang kundisyon sa 4Ps law na kailangan vaccinated ang recipients,” Hontiveros said in a statement Wednesday.
(Bullying the public should not be an option in encouraging them to get vaccinated. We should give the poor respect. Under the 4Ps law, there is no condition that the recipients should be vaccinated.)
Hontiveros explained that the government must give incentives to those who will be vaccinated instead of providing conditions.
“Hindi dapat ginagawang suhol ang mga bakunang dapat naman talaga ay libre at pangmalawakan. Hindi dapat pinagbabantaan ang madla,” she said.
(We should not use vaccines as bribes because this should be free and should be accessible for all. The public should not be threatened.)
“Imbis na pananakot, incentives ang dapat na ialok sa publiko para sila ay magpapabakuna. Tulad halimbawa ng grocery packs o kaya naman ay paid vacation leave,” she further suggested.
Hontiveros opposes making vaccination a requirement for 4Ps beneficiaries
(Instead of threats, the government should offer incentives such as grocery packs or paid vacation leaves.)
Palace spokesman Harry Roque proposed to make vaccination a condition for receiving assistance for the beneficiaries of 4P’s program, especially now that there are still many who are reluctant to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Ang daming nakikinabang sa programa na ‘yan at kapag naisama sa condition na ‘yan ay maraming mababakunahan lalung lalo na sa hanay ng mga mahihirap,” Roque said.
(A lot of people are benefitting from that program and if we include vaccines as a condition then we can inoculate more people especially in the vulnerable sector.)
Roque added this measure could also be applied to future financial assistance or “ayuda” during lockdowns.
But if only President Rodrigo Duterte is to be asked, people who do not want to be vaccinated should not go out of the house to not infect others.
“We cannot force you. But then, sana, kung ayaw niyo magpabakuna, ‘wag na kayo lumabas ng bahay para hindi na kayo maghawa ng ibang tao,” said Duterte.
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