Earlier today, May 17, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced that politicians once again moved up in the priority list after the first batch of Pfizer arrived last May 10.
Roque made the statement in a press briefing after the Inter-agency the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease) decided to place governors and mayors and other local chiefs in Priority Group A1.5. Seniors, who were listed as A2, will now receive vaccinations after local government officials had them first.
Roque in the briefing sided with the IATF’s decision explaining that mayors and governors were “key instruments” of the country’s Covid-19 program.
“Kasi po ang mga mayor at gobernador ang nagpapatupad po ng prevention, detection, isolation, treatment, and rehabilitation [strategy] na cornerstone of our COVID program.
“Sila po ang nagpapatupad ng localized lockdown, sila po ang nagpapatupad ng vaccination, sila po talaga ang intrumento sa paglaban natin sa COVID-19.”
“They may not be doctors but they are equally frontliners, dahil lahat po ng stratehiya natin, ang humaharap ang lokal na mga opisyales, si mayor at si governor,” he added.
But with these officials being put ahead of seniors along with the arrival of Pfizer, several personalities and Netizens believe that it is just a legal form of VIP vaccination.
Blogger Noemi Dado raised the question of politicians being prioritized first after medical front liners were because of Pfizer.
Is it because of Pfizer vaccine ? https://t.co/df30DxIGoK
— Noemi L. Dado (@momblogger) May 17, 2021
A netizen pointed out that politicians became a priority since the Covid vaccine is Pfizer.
https://twitter.com/ishtine18/status/1394187037629026305?s=20
Others were disgusted by the government’s priority over seniors that he even called them “selfish, self-serving little sh*ts.”
Just in time for the arrival of the Pzifer vaccine. By the end of the day, we all know these gov't officials are a bunch of selfish, self-serving little shits. https://t.co/uTEoqietKL
— sayaleviathan (@xxxholicwing) May 17, 2021
Some blatantly called out what Group A1.5 means: VIP vaccination.
Call it what it is: jumping the line, VIP vaccination, just formalized and given the semblance of validity through a resolution. https://t.co/0TtKGZGSXK
— K Manuel (@theklmanuel) May 17, 2021
Let's call it what it actually is: line-hopping in time of Pfizer vaccine's arrival. Pwet niyo public servant. https://t.co/dVLuGrH0op
— Dan (@nadielravias) May 17, 2021
Taray. May point 5. VIP vaccination https://t.co/e4WIdTrjLt
— J☆P (@JAPcabrera) May 17, 2021
Twitter personality Tom even concluded that these politicians will be the ones to fully use the Pfizer stock that the Philippines has received.
So sila ang uubos sa stock na Pfizer? Hahaha. The moves. https://t.co/KMmLGYudv3
— Tom (@MATom_MD) May 17, 2021
Meanwhile, former health adviser Tony Leachon received a response from Roque insisting that senior citizens and those with co-morbid conditions are not part of the Covax priority group.
But Leachon pointed that the Philippines has a limited vaccine supply. And with Sinovac being abundant, Leachon stressed that one option to re-open the economy is to have the essential workers be administered by it.
I understand the WHO COVAX rules and guidelines. But senior citizens and co morbid conditions are slow moving and exhibit high vaccine hesitancy.
The best way now given that limitation is to use the high inventory of Sinovac in A4 ( essential workers ) to reopen the economy. https://t.co/5EkUWaHmKi— Tony Leachon MD (@DrTonyLeachon) May 17, 2021
Previously, government officials were listed under B2 of the priority list. However, in March, the IATF moved them up to A4 as government frontliners.
Nevertheless, even before the task force considered government officials as frontliners, several local executives already received their jabs and were proud of it.
Tacloban City (Leyte) Mayor Alfred Romualdez, T’boli (South Cotabato) Mayor Dibu Tuan, Sto. Niño (South Cotabato) Mayor Sulpicio Villalobos, Legazpi City (Albay) Mayor Noel Rosal, and Bataraza (Palawan) Mayor Abraham Ibba, had their first dose of vaccines though not being part of the priority list.
It can be recalled that World Health Organization (WHO) warned those who will not follow the government’s prioritization framework will cause jeopardy to additional vaccines donated through the Covax facility.
