By CBCP News
July 5, 2021
Manila, Philippines
As vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos remains a major concern, a Catholic archbishop and Covid-19 survivor used his voice to somehow help address the issue.
Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa tested positive for Covid-19 last March. Speaking during Sunday’s Mass, the archbishop revealed that he had a long and difficult battle with the disease.
“Take it from me, when covid hits you, you will call all the saints in heaven,” Garcera said in his homily.
After battling Covid-19, he said that survivors may have to settle hefty hospital bills.
The archbishop encouraged hesitant people to avail of the vaccines that are available “before it’s too late”.
“Don’t wait to get sick (with Covid-19). You’ll regret it,” Garcera warned.
The archbishop also stressed that vaccines are “blessings” during this time of the pandemic.
“The Covid-19 vaccination rollout is also a blessing to us and we know that vaccination centers are widespread,” he added.
Vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos remains a serious challenge in the vaccination program, although the country has had difficulties securing vaccine supplies.
In May, local pollster Social Weather Stations found that only a third of 1,200 Filipinos it surveyed were willing to be vaccinated, while a third were hesitant over concerns about side effects or the efficacy of vaccines.
As of June 27, the country has administered more than 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, with 7.5 million people receiving their first shot.
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