Duterte: Spare COVID-19 vaccines for NPA if available

President Rodrigo Duterte stated that spare COVID-19 vaccines could be administered to members of the New People's Army (NPA) to protect them from the virus.

Duterte clarified that NPA members would not be prioritized for vaccination as they are considered enemies of the government, and spare doses would only be given if available.

The President also expressed his intention to revisit areas devastated by Typhoon Odette to assess the aid provided by various agencies and check vaccination rates among evacuees.

He suggested that the Philippine Coast Guard could use fast crafts to expedite vaccine delivery to remote areas if residents remain unvaccinated.

Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the NDRRMC, reported that 339,478 individuals are still in 1,146 evacuation centers following Typhoon Odette's destruction in December.

Duterte urged the NPA to allow the government to continue its vaccination efforts in the affected regions.