MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte was perplexed by the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) not to use the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine on health workers who are frequently exposed to patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Malacañang said Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the president has asked FDA Director-General Eric Domingo to explain such recommendation after the agency’s issuance of an emergency use authorization (EUA) to Sinovac.

“Si president po mismo, nagtataka bakit nga ganuon nga ang naging EUA ng FDA at pinatawag po talaga si Dr. Domingo ng huling cabinet meeting… Naiparating ng president ang pagtataka kung bakit may ganitong colatilla,” Roque said.

Domingo explained that the vaccine’s efficacy rate on healthcare workers is 50.4% based on Sinovac’s clinical trials conducted in Brazil, making it not the best vaccine suited for healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients.

The FDA chief, however, stressed that this is only a recommendation and healthcare workers are not prohibited from receiving Sinovac if they chose to.

“Nirerespeto po ni president ang mga opinion ng mga experts kaya let the colatilla remain,” Roque said. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Rosalie Coz)

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte wants to personally witness the arrival of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine doses that were donated by the Chinese government out of a debt of gratitude, Malacañang said Wednesday.

“Pilipino tayo, tumatanaw tayo ng utang na loob. Sa ating panahon ng pangangailangan, talaga namang iyong kaibigan nating China ang nagpadala ng unang bakuna sa atin, so hindi mo matatanggal sa Pilipino na tumanaw ng utang na loob,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual briefing.

The Chinese government earlier said it will donate some 600,000 doses of vaccines manufactured by Sinovac.

Helen Yang, Sinovac Biotech general manager, said they are now preparing the vaccines which will be delivered to the country soon after it finally secured an emergency use authorization from the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration.

“We will try our best whether we can deliver the products in this week or next week. It will be very soon,” she said.

Malacañang earlier said the government may roll out the vaccination program a day after the Sinovac vaccines arrive in the country.

Vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech under the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility were supposed to be the first to arrive in the country this month but its delivery was delayed over some issues including the indemnification deal. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Rosalie Coz)

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has reiterated his position that he will not support the idea of his eldest daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, joining the presidential race in the 2022 elections despite the much urgings of their supporters.

Duterte made the remark during a situational briefing for the government response to the onslaught of storm ‘Auring’ in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur on Tuesday.

“Inday Sara is not running. I have really put my foot down. Naaawa ako sa anak ko,” he said.

“Ang pulitika dito sa atin, kababuyan,” he added.

The chief executive issued the statement after Surigao del Sur Governor Alexander Pimentel urged him to convince either Mayor Sara or his former aide and now Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go to be his successor and continue his administration’s achievements when his term ends in 2022.

This came after Sara Duterte emerged as the top presidential and vice presidential preference for 2022 elections in a survey recently conducted by OCTA Research Team.

The poll showed that the president’s daughter came on top after 22% of the respondents picked her to be country’s next president.

Following Duterte is Sen. Grace Poe with 13%, Sen. Manny Pacquiao and former Sen. Bongbong Marcos with 12% each, and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso with 11%.

In the vice presidential race, Duterte also emerged on top after getting 14% of the survey votes. Moreno and Pacquiao got 11% each while Poe scored 10%.

Sara Duterte earlier thanked her supporters for their trust and confidence but reiterated that she is not interested in seeking the country’s highest post.

She also advised her supporters to stop mounting tarpaulins and billboards, as well as staging motorcades and other activities for her supposed 2022 candidacy.

Meanwhile, the president also warned the public against former Senator Antonio Trillanes III, one of his administration’s staunch critics.

“Be careful of trillanes, magbantay kayo. He will sell you to the devil. ‘Pag yan ang nakaupo. Patay, walang hiya yan. Sa totoo lang,” he said. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Rosalie Coz)