Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has appealed to Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Acosta to vaccinate against COVID-19.
“Ako ay nananawagan kay PAO chief (Persida) Acosta dahil palagay ko, baka malapit na rin siyang maging senior citizen, eh dapat mabigyan siya ng karagdagang proteksyon sa pamamagitan ng bakuna,” Duque said.
(I am appealing to PAO chief Acosta because I think she is about to become a senior citizen that. She should be given additional protection from COVID-19 through vaccination.)
Earlier, the PAO chief said the government’s no vaccination, no ride policy is unconstitutional and discriminatory.
She later admitted that she was not vaccinated against COVID-19 due to age and health. The PAO chief clarified she was not an anti-vaxxer, but she was just waiting for a protein-based vaccine.
Duque noted that Acosta could be in danger if infected with the deadly virus.
Also read: No vaccination, no ride policy in NCR violates constitution – PAO’s Acosta
Duque appeals to PAO chief Acosta to get COVID-19 vaccine
“Ayaw naman na malagay siya sa isang napakapeligrosong katayuan, lalo na kapag ito’y severe to critical COVID infection na alam natin nabibiktima rito ang mga senior citizens at mga taong… gaya ng sinabi niya meron daw siyang ibang mga sakit. So mas lalo na dapat magpabakuna siya bunsod ng kaniyang comorbidities,” said Duque.
(We do not want her to be in danger, most especially if it becomes a severe to critical COVID-19 infection because we know that most senior citizens experience this… and as she mentioned earlier, she has comorbidities. So, all the more, she needs to be vaccinated.)
Meanwhile, Secretary Menardo Guevarra of the Department of Justice, under which is the PAO, said he advised Acosta “to ensure a COVID-safe working environment in her agency without sacrificing efficiency.”
Workers needed to report onsite should be vaccinated. If not, they must undergo RT-PCR or antigen testing once every two weeks according to the IATF rules.
Meanwhile, Senator Franklin Drilon, a former Justice Secretary, said Acosta should not report to work onsite because she was unvaccinated.
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