Leni: Give incentives to folk to get jabs

By Mavic Conde

How do we encourage the unvaccinated Filipinos to get vaccinated with Covid-19 shots?

For Vice President Leni Robredo, the best way to do that is via incentives.

“Sana mas positive reinforcement, hindi ‘yung takot na huhulihin ka kung hindi ka magpabakuna,” Robredo said in her weekly DZXL radio show.

Robredo, who is also a presidential aspirant, opposed measures that would force Filipinos to get the vaccines against coronavirus out of fear of punishment.

This was in response to President Rodrigo Duterte ordering local government officials to not let unvaccinated persons leave their homes except for essential activities.

As of Dec. 5, the Philippine Information Agency Bicol announced in a news release that Catanduanes posted the highest vaccination rate in the province after reaching 92 percent of its target. This is followed by Camarines Sur with 61 percent, Albay, 56 percent; Sorsogon, 55 percent; Camarines Norte, 46 percent; and Masbate, 39 percent.

The Bicol region aims to vaccinate 1.1 million and as of the same month, it has reached 55 percent of that.

For Robredo, being unvaccinated is not a crime but incentives can be used as health measures.