Most Metro Manila mayors support the non-disclosure of the COVID-19 vaccine brand mandated by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In this regard, the mayors of Metro Manila assured that they will abide by the order of such government agencies, not to announce the brand of vaccine available at vaccination sites for vaccine recipients.
It aims to prevent a recurrence of the influx of people to a vaccination site where the Pfizer vaccine is injected.
According to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, they will comply with the DILG in this regard.
According to Belmonte, the recipient can be informed of the brand if it is already in the vaccination area.
She said all vaccine brands are the same so people should not have to worry about it.
According to Manila City public information chief Julius Leonen, the Manila local government will also abide by the directive and will only announce the brand of the vaccine to its beneficiaries when it is injected.
“Okay lang po sa amin pero ‘yung second dose dapat ma-inform,” said Mandaluyong City public information chief Jimmy Isidro.
Metro Manila mayors support non-disclosure of COVID-19 vaccine brand
Muntinlupa City public information officer Tez Navarro also assured that they will follow the government’s brandless policy and will not announce the type of vaccine.
Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano clarified that the city government has AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Pfizer, and other vaccine brands but they support the President’s directive.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora will also abide by the directives of the DILG and DOH, as well as the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Zamora added that residents will only know the vaccine available to inject them, once they are at the vaccination site for their vaccination schedule.
“If they are not comfortable with that particular brand, they can opt not to get vaccinated,” he clarified.
According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, the national government targets to inoculate 58 million or 70% of 83 million people in COVID-19 hotspots to achieve herd immunity.
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