Local leaders crucial in addressing vax hesitancy in Muslim areas

MANILA – The influence and capacity of the local leaders to convince their constituents are important to address vaccine hesitancy within Muslim communities in Mindanao, acting Presidential spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, said Wednesday.

In a CNN Philippines interview, Nograles reiterated President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s concerns on the vaccine hesitancy among Muslim communities in Mindanao which, the President believes is “something more of religious belief.”

“In his latest Talk to the People, the President really said that the influence of local leaders is important, especially in the BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) area,” Nograles said.

Nograles said it really matters those local leaders would maximize their “convincing power” to increase the confidence of the public in the Covid-19 vaccination program.

“They’ll have to really set an example to their constituents, they really have to drive the demand and push for a more and increased vaccination in the BARMM area,” he added.

Nograles said it is important to send the message that apart from being halal-certified, Covid-19 vaccines are also used in other predominantly Muslim countries.

“We are not having problems that we see in vaccinating countries like our neighbors in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and other predominantly Muslim counties,” Nograles said.

“We see no reason why it could not happen in the BARMM areas but it really takes a lot of push and drives from local leaders there,” he said.

The latest data from the National Task Force against Covid-19 showed that among 17 regions nationwide, the BARMM has the least number of vaccinated individuals, with only 25.22 percent or 769,604 individuals out of its 70 percent or 3,051,196 total targeted population, are fully vaccinated and 47,081 received booster shots.