Speaker Lord Allan Velasco is more than willing to get
vaccinated against COVID-19 in public to convince Filipinos that the vaccine is
safe and necessary.
Velasco said elected officials like him should be “at the
forefront” of the government’s vaccination campaign to encourage everyone to
get inoculated against the disease that has already killed more than 12,300
people nationwide.
“Ang ating mga elected leaders should be at the forefront to
be able to show the people na talagang kinakailangan natin ng bakuna, at talaga
namang kinakailangan para ma-control natin ang pandemya,” Velasco told
reporters in an interview after he led Monday’s physical flag-raising ceremony,
the first one conducted by the House since the pandemic started last year.
Velasco made the statement as the country officially kicked
off the COVID-19 vaccine rollout using China-made vaccines donated by the
Chinese government.
He hailed the arrival of the first shipment of COVID-19
vaccines in the country as “a welcome development.”
“It’s high time na may dumating na bakuna sa ating bansa at
sunod-sunod na po ‘yan,” Velasco said. “Sa pangunguna ng ating pangulo na si
PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) kasama ang buong ehekutibo, Senado at
House, we have been working hard para maibigay natin ang necessary legislation
para mai-roll out ‘yung vaccine program.”
President Duterte recently signed into law the COVID-19
Vaccination Program Act of 2021, which Velasco principally authored in the
House. The legislation seeks to expedite the purchase and administration of
COVID-19 vaccines and set up an indemnity fund to compensate individuals who
will experience adverse effects after vaccination.
During the flag-raising ceremony, Velasco said the House
will be rolling out its own vaccine program for employees and their families.
Velasco assured employees that the House leadership will do
everything to earn their trust and confidence in the vaccine.
“I assure each and everyone of you that while I am at the
helm, the House will be a safe, healthy and comfortable home for all,” he
added.
After he assumed the speakership in October last year,
Velasco made sure that those who were eager to work are tested for the virus to
ensure their safety while the legislative mill continues to grind.
Aside from regular testing, the House has been implementing
strict health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in all the offices
and buildings within the Batasan Complex.
Velasco, meanwhile, thanked House members, the Secretariat
and the entire congressional corps “for helping us pass urgent COVID response
measures aside from our legislative priorities.”
“Your full cooperation, hard work and support for our
leadership give us the impetus to work hard and to work well,” he added. - House of Representatives of the Philippines
