Palace vows to speed up vax program to achieve population protection

Malacañang pledged to accelerate the country's COVID-19 vaccination program, aiming to achieve population protection.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque acknowledged that while 68 percent of Filipinos have easy access to vaccination sites, 50 percent still perceive the rollout as slow.

To improve the vaccination pace and access, the government plans to boost vaccine supply through procurement.

Additional measures include expanding the pool of vaccinators by enlisting pharmacists and medical interns, and utilizing barangay health centers as vaccination sites.

Initiatives in partnership with LGUs and the private sector include using malls as vaccination centers, drive-thru vaccination, extended hours, and house-to-house inoculations for the elderly and vulnerable.

As of August 18, 2021, a total of 28,308,493 vaccine doses have been administered, with 15,565,411 individuals fully vaccinated.