Vaccine: A dose of hope –PIA chief

By Jimmyley E. Guzman

PIA Director-General Ramon Cualoping III is being interviewed by media on the sidelines of the historic vaccine rollout to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. (Contributed photo)

PASIG CITY, March 2 (PIA) — Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director-General Ramon Cualoping III on Monday said the anti-COVID19 vaccine is a dose of hope.

During the historic vaccination rollout at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila, Director-General Cualoping said the vaccines, given iniitially to medical frontline workers, not only serve as a dose of hope for every Filipino, but if given en masse, can effectively bend the trajectory of the coronavirus pandemic.

The PIA has been conducting information drives, together with the Presidential Communications Operations Office, the Department of Health and several government agencies to further raise awareness on the benefits of inoculation against COVID-19.

This initiative included a series of town hall meetings, regional summits, local summits, and dialogue with healthcare workers, the private sector, and local government units in a bid to continue and improve the public uptake, the acceptance level of the public to the vaccine regardless of brands.

Cualoping also said the government is committed to give a safe and effective vaccine for all Filipinos.

The vaccination rollout at PGH was led by the National Task Force against Coronavirus Disease-2019 (NTF COVID-19) chief implementer and Vaccine Czar, Secretary Carlito Galvez, PGH Director Dr. Gerardo Gap Legaspi, Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Benhur Abalos, Jr., Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, and other officials.

Dr. Legaspi led the vaccination rollout at PGH being the first to be vaccinated. Chair Abalos and Sec. Galvez also got their anti-covid shot.

The vaccination of 300,000 Filipinos, particularly healthworkers, against COVID-19 began Monday after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte personally received the 600,000 doses of China-donated CoronaVac vaccines made by Sinovac Biotech pharmaceutical firm, on Sunday at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City. (PIA NCR)