ILIGAN City ― When Joey Concepcion, presidential adviser on entrepreneurship opened his mouth which will make booster shots a must, reactions here and there were heard. It didn’t help that it was being pointed out that there are yet around 27 million vaccines that are nearing expiration dates.
Senator Koko Pimentel said that to compel people to get booster shots because there are still plenty of vaccines is “shallow!”
This was also echoed by Senator Francis Tolentino.
And mind you, Concepción is not even a doctor of medicine, the last time I checked!
There’s even a move to change the definition of “fully vaccinated.” From two doses to include “bolstered.”
Naturally, many people don’t like this developing move by the government, as inspired by Concepcion’s statement. There’s even that statement by one government official to give this “4th dose.” And then we hear some other bureaucrats say that the shots be given ― let’s hold our breaths ― yearly!
“What? Are they playing with our lives, our bodies ?” Said someone here in this city.
And there are even plenty of people who haven’t even had their first and second dose through no fault of their own. And now this move of the government to make booster shots mandatory?
But this city went further; the booster dose, in an executive order, became mandatory without further ado Maybe because of its excitement that it is now at alert level 1?
“Who drafted this EO ?” Asked some irate citizens here. Are they feeding mayor Celso G Regencia to the dogs?
“CGR is the one who is feeding himself to the dogs! For he has signed the EO without thinking!”
Meaning people here are resisting the booster doses, especially if it is “instant” meaning no time frame to get those doses. And the city government here, are they capable of giving thus So that it is right for it to “prevent” people from gathering without boosters.
I guess this city just wants to show something ― that it is not forever “late” in its compliance with whatever the national government wishes! Remember that laboratory for Covid-19 testing, when everyone here thought that this LGU couldn’t really come up with the requirements when surrounding areas nearby had come up with theirs?
Or the first and second shots of vaccines which people here at first were hesitant if not defiant? Where surrounding areas near this city were proud of their high vaccination rates?
And then some EO solved it, with some “or else” thrown in inside that CGR EO!
This sent hundreds of people to the vaccination sites. So it was easy after all to compel people to do what the government wants! Even if some sectors here went to court, but to no avail since the court favored this LGU.
And now this CGR EO 17 compelling booster shots with some “or else,” thrown in, even without the government still compelling it at this point in time.
Questions: Will this “exhibition” from CGR and cohorts like this local IATF work in their favor this time ― or, will the people here instead do their own “exhibitions” regarding this EO on boosters.
(Email: norasorino2@gmail.com)
