Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 29) — Incentives may be given to ramp up the COVID-19 vaccination program, a Health official said Friday, taking the cue from some local governments.
“We don’t see anything wrong with that. Nag-iisip na rin ang DOH ng additional incentives para makahikayat tayo ng mas maraming tao para magpabakuna,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a briefing.
[Translation: We don’t see anything wrong with that. The DOH is also thinking of incentives to encourage more people to get inoculated.]
Vergeire said Health officials are considering non-material rewards even as some local governments announced raffles with costly prizes.
“Pag nagsabi tayo ng incentive, hindi lang po ito iyong materyal na insentibo katulad ng nagbibigay po tayo ng pagkain o di kaya nagbibigay tayo ng mga papremyo,” she said.
[Translation: When we talk of incentives, these are not material incentives such as giving food or prizes.]
Meanwhile, at least two senators also on Friday backed the vaccine-for-reward scheme.
“Maganda naman po iyon. Kanya kanya naman po tayo ng paraan ng pageenganyo sa kababayan natin,” Senator Bong Go said told reporters.
[Translation: That is a good move. We have our own ways for encouraging our fellow Filipinos [to get vaccinated].]
“We should use all legal – and creative – means possible to have every Filipino vaccinated,” Senator Ping Lacson said in a statement.
As of May 25, almost 4.5 million people received at least one dose, according to government data, including over one million fully vaccinated.
