Senator Christopher “Bong” Go appealed to local government units and authorities in charge of the vaccine rollout to bring vaccines directly to constituents who are part of the priority groups to be inoculated.

“Sa mga LGUs, paigtingin pa natin ang pagbabakuna. Dapat ‘di magtagal ang stocks sa inyo. Marami nang gustong magpabakuna pero naghihintay. Nagagalit na ang iba. Pabilisin natin ang sistema para pag-distribute ng bakuna, maiturok na agad sa dapat maturukan,” he appealed.

He stressed that time is of the essence and all necessary steps must be taken to ensure that those in the A1-A3 categories are vaccinated immediately so that the rollout can proceed to other priority sectors in line with the goal of reaching herd immunity in communities.

“Dagdagan po natin ang ating vaccination sites para kahit saang sulok ng komunidad ay makaabot ang bakuna. Kung kailangang puntahan mismo sa mga bahay ang mga matatanda at mga may comorbidities ay gawin na dapat agad,” he urged.

“Huwag tayo magkumpyansa sa kung ano na ang ginagawa ngayon. Paigtingin pa natin lalo upang mas mabilis nating marating ang herd immunity sa ating community at tuluyang matigil na ang sakit na COVID-19,” he added.

Go then called on local leaders, in coordination with the national government, to strengthen their local vaccination rollout and vaccine education awareness campaigns to further encourage their constituents to get inoculated.

“Huwag natin sayangin ang oportunidad na makapagligtas ng buhay gamit ang bakunang nasa atin. Bawat oras na masayang ay buhay ang kapalit. Kaya ni isang bakuna ay hindi dapat masayang,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Go encouraged senior citizens and other priority groups to get vaccinated as soon as possible to ensure the utilization of vaccines available and to fast-track the expansion of the national COVID-19 vaccination program.

“Hinihikayat ko po ang ating senior citizens at ibang priority groups na magpabakuna na. Huwag po kayong matakot sa bakuna, matakot po kayo sa COVID-19. Ang bakuna po ang tanging solusyon upang makabalik tayo sa ating normal na pamumuhay,” said Go.

“Prayoridad po nating mabakunahan ang ating mga kababayan na 40 years old pataas dahil dito maraming case load at ‘yung mga matatanda ang delikado sa sakit na ito,” he added.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go emphasized that the vaccination of priority groups aims to prevent hospitalization, severe cases and deaths since getting vaccinated will give people the protection needed to lessen the risks.

“Para naman doon sa parte ng priority sectors, bagama’t hindi namin kayo mapipilit, nakikiusap ako na magtiwala po kayo sa bakuna dahil kapakanan ninyo ang inuuna namin. Kapag panahon niyo na para magpabakuna, huwag na kayo mag-alinlangan pa, magpabakuna na agad kayo,” he appealed.

Go stressed that the national vaccination program can only fully expand to other groups once most members of the A1, A2, and A3 priority groups have been vaccinated.

“Paano tayo uusad sa next priority groups kung maraming ‘di pa nababakunahan sa A1 to A3 groups. Naghihintayan tayo,” he pointed out.

“Kaya i-enganyo natin ‘yung mga dapat maturukan agad, lalo na ang mga matatanda at vulnerable sa sakit na ito. Para makapagsimula na tayo sa iba pang sektor na nag-iintay ng panahon na pwede na sila,” he added.

Go reiterated his earlier appeal to fast-track the vaccine rollout nationwide in order to reach essential sectors and indigents belonging to the A4 and A5 categories. This, he said, will pave the way to reopening more sectors of the economy.

“Ang essential sectors o A4 category, kasama na diyan ang economic frontliners, ay napakaimportante upang mabalanse lalo ang pagprotekta sa kalusugan at pagpapasigla ng ating ekonomiya,” Go said earlier.

“Tulad din ng pangako namin ni Pangulong Duterte, sisiguraduhin nating makakarating ang bakuna sa mga mahihirap at pinaka-nangangailangan, ‘yung mga ‘isang kahig, isang tuka’ at ‘yung mga kailangan lumabas upang buhayin ang kanilang pamilya. Ito ang A5 category kung saan nabibilang ang mga indigent,” he added.

Meanwhile, Go was alarmed over the reported illegal sale of COVID-19 vaccines in certain localities. He urged law enforcement authorities to go after those who are involved in the illegal activity while emphasizing to the public that vaccines acquired by government are provided for free in accordance with the prioritization order of vaccination.

“Huwag natin hayaang may nangsasamantala sa panahon na ito. Libre po ang bakuna mula sa gobyerno. Huwag ninyong pagkakitaan ang isang bagay na napaka-importante para maisalba ang buhay ng kapwa at ibinibigay dapat sa mga nangangailangan nito,” he said.

“Maawa naman tayo sa kababayan nating hirap na hirap na at sa mga frontliners na magbubuwis ng buhay para iligtas ang mga nagkakasakit,” he added.

As of May 31, the Philippines has administered more than five million vaccine doses and has the highest rate and vaccination tempo in the ASEAN region. Almost four million have received their first dose while more than one million have completed their doses.

The country has received more than 8.3 million doses to date. It is expecting to g