
35 minute read
2021 Pinoy travel preferences
Travel Family, nature trips top 2021 Pinoy travel preferences
MaNila – Family vacations are likely to top Filipino priorities in terms of travel this year, outranking business trips and shopping as the previous main motivation for travel, a study showed.
According to Airbnb’s Philippines Travel Trends Survey 2021 with data analytics fi rm YouGov, at least six out of 10 Filipino chose family vacations as the primary reason to travel this year.
Enjoying free time to unwind and relax, and visiting close relatives and friends are also key motivators to get Filipinos back on the road.
The Airbnb-commissioned survey gathered responses from 1,067 Filipinos between February 4 and 8.
It showed that travel with immediate and extended family is one reason for domestic travel among Filipinos, with 88 percent of the respondents saying they felt more connected with their families during the pandemic.
Notably, health and safety protocols (64 percent) and aff orda-
CLOSE TO NATURE. A camp site in Tanay, Rizal. According to Airbnb’s Philippines Travel Trends Survey 2021, road trips are expected to gain traction as the top choice for Filipinos’ fi rst trip post-pandemic, as respondents indicated that they wanted to travel close to nature and to places outside their communities well within driving distance. (Contributed photo)

bility (61 percent) are top considerations when choosing travel accommodation.
More than half of all respondents (53 percent) also prefer traveling to less crowded, off -the-beaten-path destinations, away from mass tourist hotspots.
Road trips are expected to gain traction as the top choice for Filipinos’ fi rst trip post-pandemic, as respondents indicated that they wanted to travel close to nature and places outside their communities well within driving distance.
Beachside destinations topped Filipinos’ bucket lists in 2021, with Boracay emerging as respondents’ top go-to destination, followed closely by Palawan, Baguio, Siargao, and Tagaytay.
“People are more likely to start traveling near to their places and so local and domestic tourism is going to be something that takes center stage before borders open up and cross-border travel resumes," said Amanpreet Bajaj, Airbnb's general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. "Travellers are also looking at slower, more mindful travel amidst nature. We believe that travel is resilient and will bounce back with time, and we anticipate that unique and family-friendly travel will serve as the impetus for domestic tourism recovery.”
Airbnb said it would support government eff orts to revive local tourism as it pledged to drive sustainable long-term growth for its "Stays and Experiences" to help local Airbnb hosts and guests community.
Citing research from Oxford Economics, it said it contributed to about USD1 billion in economic impact and supported more than 160,000 jobs in the Philippines in 2019 alone.
Airbnb said it intends to work closely with key policymakers and industry stakeholders on a sustainable way forward for its listings to be accredited, in line with the government’s regulations for leisure travel. (PNA)
Cebu mulls Lent tour packages to revitalize tourism
CEBu CiTY – The provincial government of Cebu is set to launch Holy Week tour packages as one of its steps to revive the tourism industry, the Capitol announced on Wednesday.
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the tour packages are now being planned and will be launched before the Holy Week on March 28-April 3.
Garcia noted that the provincial government has partnered with “private tour operators and other tourism industry players” for this initiative.
“Even the airlines are joining in,” she said.
Garcia recently met with offi cials from fl ag carrier Philippine Airlines and the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Central Visayas to map out plans for the Holy Week tour off erings.
This plan came after the provincial government further eased entry requirements for tourists visiting the Cebu island.
Based on the latest executive order that Garcia issued, only a valid medical certifi cate and proof of pre-booking at a resort or hotel within the province are required from tourists entering Cebu.
The medical certifi cate should be issued by a reputable doctor and within seven days prior to the travel date.
The resort or hotel establishment should also be duly accredited by the DOT and the Cebu Provincial Tourism Task Force.
Visitors must also pass the symptoms checking or screening at the point of departure and arrival.
Cebu is the fi rst province in the country to take decisive steps to reinvigorate tourism activities since August 2020.
Garcia had also issued a series of executive orders requiring mandatory health guidelines for tourism activities such as canyoneering, whale-shark watching, trekking, swimming, and diving, among others to prevent further spread of Covid-19 while reviving the industry. (PNA)

HOLY WEEK TOUR. Photo shows the Saints Paul and Peter Parish in the municipality of Bantayan in Cebu’s northernmost island. The town is a well-known tourist destination especially during holy Week due to its various lenten season activities. (Photo by Carlo lorenciana)
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ceived today will be followed by up to 4.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines scheduled to arrive before the end of May in batches in addition to other vaccine stated to be delivered to the Philippines through the COVAX Facility," Abeyasinghe said in his speech.
The vaccine supply from COVAX is expected to cover at least 20 percent of the country’s population, with medical front-liners, the elderly, and those suff ering from co-morbidities as priorities. "Standing together in solidarity has indeed made us stronger," he said. "We honor the government of the Philippines for the strong leadership provided under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte throughout the response and the dedicated team of the Department of Health."
Abeyasinghe said WHO's work with the Philippine government also includes supporting the DOH in strategic planning, demand generation, and establishing a "robust information system" for vaccine tracking and user monitoring. "The WHO, UNICEF, and other UN organizations and our partners in the Philippines and our donors look forward to supporting the Covid-19 vaccination campaign throughout the country," he added.
Duterte said the latest delivery would boost the national vaccination program. "The need for international solidarity and cooperation cannot be made clearer than this pandemic because no one is safe globally until everyone is safe," he said.
He enjoined all government agencies to actively institutionalize and sustain the whole-of-government approach, while asking the public to cooperate and get vaccinated. "Be the government's partner in preventing further spread of the disease. I encourage you to get vaccinated at the soonest possible time. These vaccines are safe and they are the key to reopening our society, " he said.
Meanwhile, he commended vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, the Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the DOH for their eff orts throughout the government's pandemic response.
He also expressed the country's gratitude to all COVAX donor countries and reiterated his earlier position that these shots "should be treated as a global public good."
"I don’t know how to express my gratitude to the donor countries that you remembered the poor nations [it] is in fact already a plus for humanity. And in behalf of the Republic of the Philippines and of the people, and all, I’d like to say again that we felt the gratitude in our hearts and may God bless you for your benevolence," he said.
The vaccines were transported to Metropac in Marikina for storage, with distribution expected to start immediately after repackaging.
In a statement, the EU Delegation in Manila said the bloc, as one of the contributors in the COVAX Facility, has so far provided PHP130 billion to help 92 low and middle-income countries, including the Philippines.
“Team Europe is proud to contribute to the COVAX facility to help provide aff ordable and fair access to vaccines for Filipinos. Under COVAX, the Philippines will receive vaccines for 22 million Filipinos," said EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron.
Véron along with other members of the diplomatic corps in the Philippines witnessed the vaccines delivery at the Villamor Air Base.
Among those present are Italian Amb. Giorgio Guglielmino, British Amb. Daniel Pruce, Norway Amb. Bjorn Jahnsen, Spanish Amb. Jorge Sanchez, the Netherlands Amb. Saskia DeLang, German Amb. Anke Reiff enstuel, India Amb. Shambhu Kumaran, South Korean Amb. Kim InChul, French Amb. Michéle Boccoz, and Australian Amb. Steven Robinson. (MNS)

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PRAYERS

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
Holy Spirit Thou who make me see everything and show me the way to reach my ideal, You who give me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and who are in all instances of my life with me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank You for everything and confirm once more that I never want to be separated from You no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. Amen. (A person must pray this for three consecutive days without stating his wish. After the 3rd day the wish will be granted, no matter how difficult it may be. Promise to publish this as soon as your favor has been granted. Grateful Thanks) - God bless - OMEL
PRAYERS

PRAYER TO SAINT JUDE
Most Holy Apostle St. Jude Thaddeus, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor who delivered your beloved Master into the hands of the enemies has caused you to be forgotten by many, but the Church honors and invokes you universally as the patron of hopeless cases and of things despaired of. Pray for me who am so needy; make use, I implore you of that particular privilege accorded to you to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolations and succor of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings particularly (here mention your petition) and that I may bless God with you and all the elect throughout eternity. I promise you, O blessed Jude to be ever mindful of this great favor, and I will never cease to honor you as my special and powerful patron and to do all in my power to encourage devotion to you. Amen. THANK YOU - ARDY
PRAYER TO SAINT THERESE
O Glorious St. Therese, whom Almighty God has raised up to aid PRAYERS and inspire the human family, I implore your Miraculous Intercession. You are so powerful in obtaining every need of body and spirit from PRAYER TO SAINT THERESE the Heart of God. Holy Mother Church proclaims you ‘Prodigy of O Glorious St. Therese, whom Almighty God has raised up to aid Miracles... the Greatest Saint of Modern Times.’ Now I fervently and inspire the human family, I implore your Miraculous Intercession. beseech you to answer my petition (mention here) and to carry You are so powerful in obtaining every need of body and spirit from out your promises of spending Heaven doing good on earth...of letting fall from Heaven a Shower of Roses. Little Flower, give me your childlike faith, to see the Face of God in the people and the Heart of God. Holy Mother Church proclaims you ‘Prodigy of Miracles... the Greatest Saint of Modern Times.’ Now I fervently beseech you to answer my petition (mention here) and to carry out your promises of spending Heaven doing good on earth...of letting fall from Heaven a Shower of Roses. Little Flower, give me your childlike faith, to see the Face of God in the people and known everywhere’ and I will continue to lead others to Jesus experiences of my life, and to love God with full confidence. St. through you. Amen THANK YOU - ABA Therese, my Carmelite Sister, I will fulfill your plea ‘to be made known everywhere’ and I will continue to lead others to Jesus through you. Amen THANK YOU - SHAHELA






AstraZeneca 'eff ective' even in areas with new variant — WHO exec
MANILA (Mabuhay) — The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday said the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective even in areas with cases of the South African variant of SARS-CoV-2. "We still believe and the WHO released a statement saying we still believe that the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective even in places where you have a large proportion of cases which could be attributed to the South African variant," WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said in a virtual briefing.
The statement comes following a study that showed AstraZeneca shots offer as little as 10 percent protection against the B.1.351 variant, which was first detected in South Africa.
Abeyasinghe said the WHO is looking "very carefully" at these reports but noted that the study was conducted on a "very limited scale" with a sample of fewer than 2,000 people. "What it showed was that there was evidence of mild and moderate disease following AstraZeneca vaccines. Of course, as I've mentioned, the purpose of the vaccine is to prevent disease and deaths," he said.
He said there is "no evidence" yet of a large-scale presence of the South African variant in the Philippines.
At the same time, he said the Philippines has a window of opportunity to protect as many people as possible and limit the possibility of further transmission of the new variants. "By ensuring that we implement the protocols that we have, we could minimize the importation of these new variants and also ensure speedy control of these from where they were detected," he said.

As planned
which are set to arrive tonight. "According to the WHO and our experts, this is the only way for us to eventually beat these variants together with the minimum public health standards," she said. "No matter what the publications will say bumaba nang ganitong efficacy, hangga't wala tayong certainty (whether it has lesser efficacy, as long as we have no certainty) we will continue to use the vaccine," she added. She noted that the Philippine government is also monitoring studies and reports on the South African variant. "Kinokonsidera natin ang mga 'yan para hindi tayo nagkakaroon ng pagpapabaya. Sa atin naman we like to always err on the side of caution pero hindi para sabihin na mawawalang bisa ang pagbabakuna (We are considering these reports. On our part, we like to always err on the side of caution but not to the extent of saying that vaccination would be ineffective)," she said. The Philippines is set to receive on Thursday night some 487,200 vials of AstraZeneca’s vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) under the COVAX Facility. The doses from this batch were developed in South Korea and were donated by Germany, the European Union, Norway, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, and Greece. The vaccines will be coming from Belgium, stopping over at Bangkok before the arrival in the Philippines. From Villamor Air Base, the delivery will be transported to Metropac Logistics in Marikina City. Distribution will immediately commence
As long as there is "no certainty" after repackaging, a mein the studies conducted, Health dia briefer read. (MNS) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Philippines would carry on with its vaccine rollout and use the AstraZeneca vaccines DR. RABINDRA ABEYASINGHE


Janssen COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials in PH to check for long-term effi cacy — DOH
MANILA (Mabuhay) — While Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose COVID-19 vaccine has already gotten approval in the United States, it will continue its clinical trial in the Philippines to check for long-term efficacy, the Department of Health said Tuesday.
“Yun pong Janssen ang kanilang sinasabi ang gagawin nilang clinical trial dito ay for 2 doses,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said, referring to Johnson & Johnson’s pharmaceutical company Janssen.
Janssen was the first to be approved for COVID-19 clinical trials in the country, and the testing started last month.
“Baka maging mas mataas ang efficacy nila o baka mas tumagal ang kanilang efficacy. So yun ang tinitignan ng ating manufacturers,” Vergeire added.
Vergeire cited a statement from the company saying that “while a potentially safe and effective single dose preventive COVID-19 vaccine would have significant benefits particularly in a pandemic setting, Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine program has been designed to be extremely thorough and driven by science.”
“As such we are investigating multiple doses and dosing regimens to evaluate their long term efficacy,” the company said.
The Janssen vaccine uses an adenovirus to carry the COVID-19 gene into the body in order to trigger an immune response.
It is said to have an efficacy rate of 66% against moderate and severe COVID-19. It has a higher efficacy rate of 85% against severe cases.
The US is set to receive about 4 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by Tuesday. It will be the country’s 3rd vaccine option, after Pfizer and Moderna, which have efficacy rates of around 95%.
Currently, the Philippines only has doses from China’s Sinovac, which has an efficacy rate ranging from 65.3% to 91.2%. Its efficacy rate for health workers in Brazil is at a lower but acceptable 50.4%.
The Philippines has also issued emergency use authorizations for Pfizer and AstraZeneca.
Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo said Monday that they are hoping to receive an EUA application from Janssen after its approval in the US. (MNS)
Effi cient vaccination needed amid surge in COVID-19 cases — OCTA
MANILA (Mabuhay) — The OCTA Research group called for an efficient deployment of vaccines in the next two weeks to ensure health workers are inoculated as it noted “significant positive growth” in fresh COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Based on its data and projections, the group said “the period of negative growth rates in cases observed in the NCR in the past few weeks has now ended. This trend has been reversed, with significant positive growth in some LGUs (local government units) in the region.”
“Given that a surge in the NCR is now not a question of if but of how much, we exhort the government to ensure the urgent but efficient deployment of vaccines in the next two weeks,” it said.
On Sunday, the first shipment of China’s Sinovac arrive in the country consisting of 600,000 doses. In the priority list for vaccination are health workers, senior citizens of specific age bracket, and other frontline and essential workers.
OCTA encouraged health workers to get themselves inoculated as the COVID-19 cases rise.
“There is a very small window of opportunity for health workers in the NCR to get vaccinated while the surge is still in its early stages and hospital occupancy in the region is still manageable. Our healthcare workers in the region must seize this opportunity,” it said.
NCR projection
OCTA said that under the current trend, the number of new COVID -19 cases per day will increase from its current average daily value of 770 to 2,200 by the end of March 2021 “unless the spread of the virus is curbed.”
Moreover, the group said the total number of cases in NCR will have increased to 280,000 by the end of March, from its current value of 234,754, an increase of 19 percent.
“The total number of deaths in NCR under this scenario would be 5,700, that is, 920 new deaths will be reported between now and the end of March,” it said.
OCTA noted that reducing the reproduction number “will not decrease the number of new COVIDA-19 cases but will control its increase to 1,000 daily cases by end of March, for a total of 260,000 cases in NCR, or an 11% increase compared to the current total.”
“The total number of deaths under this scenario would be 5,300, or an additional 520 deaths compared to the current value. This would mean that 43% less deaths due to Covid-19 would occur in NCR by reducing the number of infections compared to the status quo. On a national scale, there are currently 574,247 Covid-19 cases and 12,289 deaths,” it said.
“If this trend continues and the national reproduction number remains at around Rt = 1.2, the country is projected to have 665,000 Covid-19 cases and 14,000 deaths by end of March. If the reproduction number is reduced to Rt = 1, the total number of Covid-19 cases is projected to be 640,000 by month’s end, with 13,500 deaths,” it explained. number of new cases, averaging 209 per day for the past seven days, its upward trend has slowed down, as the reproduction number in Cebu City decreased to 1.38. In Lapu Lapu, hospital bed occupancy was above 70%.
In NCR, OCTA said “steep upward trends” in new cases were observed in Pasay, Quezon City, Manila, Makati, Malabon, Taguig, Paranaque and Navotas, while Valenzuela, Caloocan and Las Pinas had a smaller increase in new cases.
Pasay had the highest daily attack rate at 21.75 per 100,000.
In the Cordillera Autonomous Region, the number of new cases in Baguio City, La Trinidad and Tabuk, Kalinga, also had upward trends, while the daily attack rate in these three LGUs were above 7 per 100,000.
Targeted lockdowns
OCTA said that the “potentially serious surge” in the NCR is still in its early stages and can still be mitigated.
It urged high-risk LGUs in the NCR, Cebu City, Lapu Lapu, and other regions identified in its report to further intensify their efforts at testing, tracing, and isolation as well as to implement small, targeted lockdowns to “contain superspreader events and reverse the increase in transmissions in their communities.”
“The deteriorating compliance with the minimum health standard by some citizens due to pandemic fatigue and/or the failure of LGUs to monitor and enforce GCQ (general community quarantine) regulations have also contributed to spikes, especially in Metropolitan areas,” it said.
“In this light, we appeal to our citizens to continue to do their share by being vigilant and by being disciplined. . . .We also exhort the national and the local governments to strictly monitor and enforce compliance with minimum health standards, such as physical distancing, wearing of face mask and face shields and proper hygiene, and to discourage large gatherings to reverse the increase in transmissions at the community level,” it added. (MNS)
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines under COVAX may arrive by April — Galvez

PH healthcare system can handle South African Covid-19 variant
MANILA (Mabuhay) — Malacañang on Tuesday assured that the country’s healthcare system can handle a surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases including those of the South African variant.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this statement after health authorities reported six cases of the South African Covid-19 variant in the country.
“Hindi po natin madi-deny na talagang habang nandiyan ang Covid, talagang mas maraming mahahawa. Ang importante, nasa posisyon tayo na bigyan ng medical attention at tulong iyong mga nangangailangan (We cannot deny that while Covid is there, there will be infections. What’s important is that we are in the position to give medical attention to those who need it),” he said in a Palace press briefing.
He encouraged the public to continue observing health and safety protocols such as wearing of face masks and face shields, frequent handwashing, physical distancing on top of getting vaccinated.
“Ngayong nandiyan na ang bakuna, bakit naman tayo hihindi lalo na ang mayroon nang mga bagong variants at lalo na kung ikaw po ay isang medical front-liner (Now that we have the vaccine, why say no especially now that there are new variants and especially if you’re a medical front-liner),” he added.
Asked if a stricter community quarantine status may be declared due to the new Covid-19 variant, Roque said it would still depend on the country’s healthcare utilization rate.
“Alam ninyo naman ang ating quarantine classification ang kinukonsidera iyong two-week attack rate, iyong average daily attack rate at pinakaimportante iyong healthcare utilization rate (You know that our quarantine classification takes into consideration the two-week attack rate, the average daily attack rate and the healthcare utilization rate),” he said.
Enhanced vaccination rollout
Dr. Rontgene Solante, head of San Lazaro Hospital’s Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Department, emphasized the need to observe protocols “really religiously”.
“I think we still have to continue the minimum health protocol and we have to implement it really religiously now that we have the more highly transmissible South African variant,” he said.
Solante also stressed the importance of contact tracing for those who have been exposed to the new Covid-19 variant.
“I think the point here is that the amount of work that we will be doing for the contact tracing will be very crucial, especially for those who have been exposed to this South African variant,” he added.
Since there are currently only a few cases of the South African variant, he said the government should also “enhance” the vaccine rollout.
“For now, it is not yet a

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Thursday said the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer under the COVAX facility may arrive by April.
Galvez said the World Health Organization (WHO) assured President Rodrigo Duterte that the vaccines from Pfizer will be provided to the Philippines.
“Ang tingin po namin baka April na po 'yung Pfizer kasi alam po natin na napakalaki ng demand ng Pfizer,” he said.
According to Galvez, the WHO wrote a letter assuring that the Pfizer vaccines will reach the country as long as the Philippines signs the indemnification agreement.
“Ang WHO po sumulat na po doon sa ating mahal na Pangulo at ina-assure niya po ang mahal na Pangulo na darating po ang Pfizer as promised by the Pfizer headquarters na under kay CEO (Mr. Albert Bourla),” he said.
At least 117,000 initial doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines are expected from the COVAX facility, which was led by the WHO and GAVI alliance to ensure fair access to vaccines among countries.
Originally, the delivery of the initial supply to the Philippines was set in February but it was delayed.
On Tuesday, GAVI alliance CEO Seth Berkley said that there have been delays to some Pfizer’s vaccine deliveries under the COVAX facility because of additional requirements set by the manufacturer.
Additional requirements are related to indemnification issues, he said.
Indemnification agreement is a measure ensuring compensation for individuals who develop serious side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. (MNS)
concern here in the Philippines because itong mga pumapasok na variants kaunti pa lang (these new variants are still few) and that’s the reason why we really have to enhance the rollout, so that time will come na hindi tayo maabutan din ng maraming variant ng ganitong klase na (we won’t experience many variants that) will also lessen the efficacy of this vaccine,” he added.
Earlier, Health Undersecretary Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire allayed fears that Covid-19 vaccines would offer less protection against the South African variant, saying that while variants might lower the efficacy rate, it still provides protection against severe illness.
The UK variant was first detected in the country on January 13, 2021 with confirmed local transmission in the Cordillera Administrative Region. (MNS)
Prioritization vital to ensure PH vaccine supply from COVAX — WHO

MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Philippines must adhere to the vaccine prioritization of medical front-liners, seniors, and those with comorbidities to ensure unhampered supply from the COVAX Facility, the World Health Organization (WHO) reminded Thursday.
Around 4.58 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses are expected to arrive in the Philippines within the year under COVAX Facility.
The country is also set to receive some 117,000 Pfizer-BioNTech jabs and an additional batch, the figures of which would be announced by end of March 2021. "To access these vaccines, WHO and the COVAX Facility, and that includes its donor partners and members, have emphasized that COVAX vaccines should be used according to the prioritizations," WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said in a virtual presser, adding Manila must also demonstrate that it can roll out the vaccines in an efficient manner while minimizing wastage.
The prioritized groups he mentioned include some 1.8 million Filipino healthcare workers who are among the most at risk in the still-raging pandemic.
This is followed by the most vulnerable population -- the elderly and those suffering from comorbidities, where high case fatality rates were previously recorded.
“If we cannot demonstrate that we are following this prioritization, unfortunately, the COVAX may have to consider other options where the impact of the vaccine rollout will be more useful and practical and will contribute to saving more lives,” Abeyasinghe said. "So we urge everybody concerned to kindly respect the prioritization that has been defined by the DOH (Department of Health) and the NITAG (National Immunization Technical Advisory Group) in consultation with the WHO," he added.
The WHO will not police the list, leaving the role of ensuring adherence to the DOH, he said.
In the same briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire acknowledged the conditions set by the COVAX Facility to align with WHO's objective to give the shots "to those who needed the most -- the healthcare workers".
She urged the public and all stakeholders to stay within the inoculation framework.
“Kung saka-sakaling makapag-violate tayo nitong objective na 'to, na hindi natin nabigay doon sa mga tamang tao o health workers, maaaring ma-compromise or ma-jeopardize 'yong mga succeeding supplies from coming from COVAX Facility,” she said. (MNS)