Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 27) — The Department of Health will launch an investigation on the COVID-19 vaccination of several Chinese nationals in Pasay City.
“Papaimbestigahan natin iyan kasi hindi malinaw sa amin ang ulat na iyan, kung ano ang naging batayan,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a media briefing on Thursday. “Kakausapin ang pamahalaang lokal kung saan ito ay nagaganap at bigyan sila ng stern warning na hindi dapat nangyayari ito dahil nilalalabag natin ang ating prioritization framework.”
[Translation: We will have that investigated because the details are unclear. The basis for the vaccination is unclear. We will talk to the local government. We will give a stern warning that this should not be happening because we are violating our prioritization framework.]
The local government confirmed several Chinese nationals have been vaccinated in their area, but stressed they are either elderlies or people with comorbidities who are living in Pasay City.
It added there is no special treatment or discrimination in the vaccination program. As long as a person falls under the priority group and a resident of the city, they are eligible to get inoculated.
“There is no VIP treatment or any form of undue preference given to Chinese nationals in the COVID-19 vaccination program of the Pasay City government… These individuals, like all the other people who got vaccinated, passed through the normal process,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
The Pasay City government also vowed to cooperate in the DOH investigation.
