MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang’s statement that Filipinos cannot choose the specific brand of Covid-19 vaccine they want to be injected with did not sit well with Vice Ganda.
Sa sabong panlaba nga choosy tayo e sa bakuna pa kaya. Ano to basta may maisaksak lang?! Vaklang twoooaahhh!!!
— jose marie viceral (@vicegandako) January 12, 2021
In a tweet on Tuesday, the Kapamilya comedian pointed out that Filipinos are “choosy” even in the detergent soap they use for laundry what more on the vaccine that will be injected to their body.
“Sa sabong panlaba nga choosy tayo e sa bakuna pa kaya. Ano ‘to basta may maisaksak lang?! Vaklang twoooaahhh!!!” Vice Ganda tweeted.
(We are choosy even in the detergent soap we use. How much more on vaccines? Is this just to inject any vaccine?)
On Monday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque pointed out that the public cannot be “picky” with the Covid-19 vaccines they will get, citing the large number of Filipinos who need to be vaccinated against the disease.
“Totoo po, meron tayong lahat na karapatan para sa mabuting kalusugan pero hindi naman po pwede na pihikan dahil napakaraming Pilipino na dapat turukan,” Roque said in a Palace press briefing.
(It is true that we all have the right to good health but we cannot afford to be picky because there are so many Filipinos who need to be vaccinated.)
“Tama lang po ‘yan, walang pilian kasi hindi naman natin makokontrol talaga kung ano ang darating at libre po ito,” he added.
(It’s only right because we really cannot choose which vaccine will arrive first, and this is free.)
Before Vice Ganda, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri also noted that not allowing Filipinos to choose the vaccine they want to be inoculated with is not fair.
Bayan Muna Rep. Rep. Ferdinand Gaite likewise, said Filipinos have the right to be “choosy” with the vaccines, especially because it concerns public health and safety.
