Duterte volunteers to be first to be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine, but in private — Palace

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang stressed on Tuesday (January 26) that President Rodrigo Duterte already decided with finality that he would get coronavirus vaccine shot in private.
This, despite the suggestion of vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr to make it public as the President will boost confidence in the government’s vaccination program.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, however, said such is the President’s personal preference.
“He had said so. Sabi nga niya, dahil sa puwet siya magpapasaksak so hindi pwedeng public (He said he wants to get shot in the buttock so it cannot be public),” Roque said.
Duterte said he is willing to be inoculated and volunteered to be the one to get the first vaccine shot to set an example.
Roque said the President wants to have it done the way Queen Elizabeth II did by announcing it only after she and Prince Philip received the vaccine.
Other leaders, meanwhile, preferred to be vaccinated in public like US President Joe Biden, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. MNP (with reports from Rosalie Coz)