(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte approved the request of seafarers to be vaccinated with “western brand” COVID-19 jabs in consideration of the condition set for their continued employment.
“There is no violation of the equal protection of laws because this is what the nature of their work requires,” Duterte explained.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier explained to President Duterte this condition set on the country’s seafarers before they could return to work.
“Kaya lang naman sila humingi ng Western brands hindi naman dahil gusto nila ‘yon, hindi dahil superior ang Western brands; kung hindi, hindi sila pasasakayin ng barko kung wala silang Western brand at karamihan ng mga barko ay European ships po,” Roque said during the President’s Talk to the People on Monday night, May 31.
“Pero sinabi niyo na po kanina you are inclined to grant the request, so maraming salamat po.”
The vaccine brands which are only considered by the seafarers’ employers are Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
Duterte stressed that all vaccines in the country are effective, and there is no vaccine brand that is more effective than others.
In granting the request of the seafarers, the President said that it is important that all Filipinos should understand this, and that he is only granting the request of the seafarers because the western vaccine brands are the requirement for them to be able to board their ships.
“I said what is important is that the Filipinos or the Filipino realizes na itong vaccine na ito ginawa ‘yan because it is demanded as a condicio sine qua non before they are given the clearance to board the ships.”
(Eagle News Service)