Lawmaker urges media to help in vaccine info drive

QUEZON City Rep. Alfred Vargas called on the media to help persuade the public to accept coronavirus vaccines.

Vargas stressed that it was only through a united and wide-ranging public information campaign that correct information would be spread nationally. This, he noted, would be a crucial step towards reversing vaccine hesitancy here.

“I call on the members of the KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) and print organizations to join hands with the government in a united effort to convince our people and promote vaccine confidence,” he said.

He added that he would meet with Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar and owners of television and radio stations and newspaper companies to discuss with them how to boost the government’s information campaign.

The chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Social Services called on the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development and its private sector partners to mobilize social workers in helping convince communities to get inoculated

“Our social workers and also our teachers are the most credible members of the communities apart from the mayor, people listen to them. If we can harness their expertise to help, we should do so! Our efforts must be united!” Vargas said.

Earlier research showed that many Filipinos were hesitant to have themselves inoculated against the coronavirus as a result of the Dengvaxia case.

Dr. Lulu Bravo, executive director of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, said many more Filipinos would be willing to be vaccinated if they were to be given correct information on the effects of vaccines on their health.

“Our people are getting bits and pieces of information or are exposed to large doses of disinformation from highly vested individuals. Others die because of tsismis (gossip) and opinions,” Vargas said.

The lawmaker said he was willing to help in the information campaign and raise public confidence by having himself vaccinated in public.