Go asks government to prioritize national athletes for vaccination

SEN. Christopher “Bong” Go became the second lawmaker in three days to call on the national government to prioritize athletes and coaches bound for the Tokyo Olympics and Hanoi 31st Southeast Asian Games for inoculation with the anti-covid-19 vaccine.

“The athletes’ victory is also the country’s success,” said Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports and Health on Tuesday. “Let’s give our countrymen some reasons to hope and unite behind the athletes during these hard times.”

On Sunday, Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino appealed to Inter-agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to include Filipino athletes as essential workers in the government’s priority list to be vaccinated.

Tolentino made the remarks as both amateur and professional athletes remain excluded in the “A4 Priority” of the government in its ongoing nationwide vaccine rollout.

“Our athletes are also suffering like all of us because of the pandemic. But be reminded that these athletes have families to feed, too,” Go said.

The Tokyo Olympics are scheduled from July 23 to August 8, while the Hanoi SEA Games are set from November 21 to December 2.

Go discussed his appeal with vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

According to Go, both committed to include qualified athletes in the priority list, without prejudice to already identified priority categories such as frontliners, senior citizens, those with comorbidities and essential sectors.

“As chair of the Senate Committees on Sports and Health, I appealed for the immediate vaccination of the athletes,” he said. “Let’s take care of Team Philippines.”

Go also urged the Philippine Sports Commission, in coordination with the Philippine Olympic Committee, to provide a list of athletes who will be prioritized for vaccination.

Two of the eight athletes qualified for the Olympics so far have been vaccinated—boxer Eumir Felix Marcial completed two doses in Las Vegas while weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz got her first shot in Malaysia last week.