Wait For Your Turn, Duterte Tells Mayors

Healthcare workers remain on top of priority in vaccination program

- Genalyn Kabiling And Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos

The country's mayors will have to wait for their turn after the government stood firm in letting healthcare workers as first in the vaccination line.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the government is hoping to complete vaccinating the country's healthcare workers against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) soon so it can move to protect the senior citizens against the deadly respiratory disease.

President Duterte has appealed for the understanding of the mayors over the decision to prioritize the vaccination of the medical frontliners to boost their protection against the illness, Roque said.

Roque said many mayors have expressed willingness to receive the Sinovac vaccines but have been advised not to jump in front of the vaccination line.

“Nagpapahingi nga po kami ng paumanhin dahil napakaraming mayors na umaasa na ngayon po ay mababakunahan sila para ma-boost iyong confidence ng kanilang mga constituents. But we have 3.4 million medical frontliners po at ang talagang desisyon po eh iyong paunang nakukuha natin ibigay po natin sa mga medical frontliners (We're asking for an apology because many mayors expected to get vaccinated to boost confidence of their constituents but we have 3.4 million medical frontliners and the decision is to prioritize the medical frontliners),” he said during a televised briefing Tuesday, March 3.