Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto used a popular GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) of him from an old interview in addressing critics of the vaccination program of the city.
In a tweet on Thursday, Sotto said that as of 7 p.m. of that day, there are no more first dose COVID-19 jabs to be administered to the residents.
He also said that this vaccine shortage is a global problem.
“100,000 mark for second dose! But bad news as of 7 p.m., we have no more vaccine on hand for 1st dose,” Sotto said.
“The supply chain is a global issue. We can’t blame anyone. What matters is our capacity is good (it’s higher than planned),” he added.
Sotto attached a popular GIF to respond to those scoring them for their supposed slugging vaccination program.
100K mark for 2nd dose! But bad news as of 7pm, we have NO MORE vax on hand for 1st dose.
The supply chain is a global issue. We cant blame anyone. What matters is our capacity is good (it’s higher than planned).
Kaya sa mga nagsasabi na mabagal kami, ang maisasagot ko lang ay pic.twitter.com/T4P0rZZLCQ
— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) July 15, 2021
The GIF or a moving image file is from a March 2020 interview of Sotto.
In the interview, Sotto called on the Department of Interior and Local Government to allow tricycle drivers to ferry passengers, particularly those who require medical emergencies, amid the coronavirus pandemic. It captured his frustration regarding the stricter policy then.
Pasig City, along with the rest of Metro Manila, was still under enhanced community quarantine, which was the strictest lockdown phase then.
Under ECQ, all forms of mass transport are suspended.
“Kapag hindi po natin pinayagan yong mga tricycle, mas marami pong mamamatay. ‘Yung mga kailangan pong magpa-dialysis, ‘yung mga post-surgery po na kailangan magpa-check up, kailangan pumunta ng hospital,” Sotto said during the interview.
“Paano po kung sa Manggahan nakatira, sa PCGH nagpapagamot. Nandoon ‘yung doktor niya, nandoon ‘yung medical records niya. Paano po siya pupunta dito,” he added.
Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto: Nakikiusap po ako sa ating nasyonal na pamahalaan, baka naman po pwedeng bigyan ng konsiderasyon ‘yung mga tricycle pic.twitter.com/c0NEojvO2h
— Jeff Canoy (@jeffcanoy) March 18, 2020
Social media users immediately noticed Sotto’s frustrated look and turned the mayor’s reaction into a GIF, which circulated online.
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Sotto’s plan for Pasig COVID-19 jabs
Meanwhile, under the Twitter thread with GIF, Sotto also shared that the city government of Pasig administered 8,000 COVID-19 vaccines per day.
This was more than the initial plan of 5,800 per day they submitted to the Department of Health.
“Initial plan we submitted to DOH was for 5,800jabs/day. Now we’re able to do 8,000. We have more sites ready, including partnership with SM,” he said.
“Let’s pray that the nat’l and local government units (LGU) orders arrive quickly! We’re expecting 11,000 first delivery this week but that’s just good for two days,” he added.
Last July 14, a total of 21,779,910 doses of Sinovac vaccines arrived in the Philippines.
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said that this new batch of COVID-19 doses will be deployed immediately in Metro Manila, particularly to those who have suspended their local vaccination programs due to the shortage.
“I would like to tell the public na ang dumating po ngayon na 1 million, meron na po itong COA. Pwede na po itong iturok right away,” he said.
Galvez further announced that an additional 1.5 million more doses of Sinovac will be delivered on Saturday, July 17.
