UMAPELA si Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte sa mamamayang Pilipino na magpabakuna na laban sa COVID-19.

Ito’y matapos pangunahan kanina ni Pangulong Duterte ang pagsalubong, pagsaksi at pagtanggap sa bakunang AstraZeneca mula sa COVAX Facility na lumapag sa Villamor Air Base, lungsod ng Pasay.

“On this note, I would like to appeal to all our kababayans please get vaccinated against COVID-19 and be the government partner in preventing further spread of the disease. I encourage you to get vaccinated as a soonest possible time. These vaccines are safe and they are the key to reopening our society,” ang pahayag ng pangulo.

Hinikayat din niya ang sambayanang Pilipino na ipagpatuloy ang health and safety protocols.

“Let us continue observing and practising health and safety protocols while waiting for more COVID-19 vaccines to reach the Philippines. We may not be out of the woods yet but we are making progress and the end is in sight, and with your cooperation, we will overcome this pandemic and ensure the health and safety of everyone,” anito.

Sa naging talumpati ni Pangulong Duterte ay sinabi nito na winelcome ng Pilipinas ang first batch ng mahigit 487,000 doses ng AstraZeneca vaccines.

Pinasalamatan ng Chief Executive ang covid facility co-led na Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations at world health organization, kasama rin ang partner nitong UNICEF para sa pagde-deliver ng nasabing bakuna.

Gaya aniya ng kanyang nabanggit noon, ang mga bakuna ay kailangang ituring bilang global public good.

“The need for international solidarity and cooperation cannot be made clearer than this pandemic because everyone is safe, no one is safe globally until everyone is safe,” ayon sa pangulo.

Sa kabilang dako, pinuri naman nito si vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, ang Inter-Agency Task Force on the management of emerging infectious diseases at ang Department of Health para maging posible ang bagay na ito.

“Let me thank you, to our key partners in the entire international community represented by their ambassadors tonight. Their cooperation in public health is very much needed, positive engagement is very much welcome. These vaccines manufactured by the United States, AstraZeneca in partnership with Oxford University, will further boost our ongoing national vaccine program. It also comes a few days after the arrival of the donated vaccines from China and our highly successful vaccination rollout in various COVID-19 referral hospitals in the country,” ang pahayag ng pangulo.

Pinagkalooban aniya ng Food and Drug Administration ng Pilipinas ng kinakailangang emergency use authroization (EUA) ang AstraZeneca vaccine noong nakaraang buwan upang maging eligible ito para sa distribusyon at paggamit sa bansa.

“Our health authorities are also actively collaborating with the international counterparts in conducting continuous studies on vaccine safety and efficacy,” aniya pa rin.

Inatasan naman ng pangulo ang lahat ng government agencies na aktibong i-institutionalize at panatilihin ang “whole of government approach” sa pagtugon sa COVID-19 situation sa bansa.

Tiniyak din ng pangulo sa sambayanang Pilipino na ipagpapatuloy ng pamahalaan ang pagsisikap na masiguro na agad maipamamahagi ang bakuna sa mga komunidad.

“And in behalf of the republic of the Philippines and of the people, and all, I’d like to say again that we felt the gratitude in our hearts and may God bless you for your benevolence. Thank you,” pahayag ng Chief Executive.

Samantala, kasama ng pangulo na sumalubong sa pagdating sa bansa ang ilang miyembro ng kanyang gabinete at si Senador Bong Go. (CHRISTIAN DALE)