THE National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) the country’s biggest organization of active members of the press, lauded the call of Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, to include the members of the press in the list of government priorities to be inoculated with the anti-COVID-19 vaccines once these are already made available.
In a statement released last Saturday, February 20, 2021, NPC president, Paul M. Gutierrez of the Journal Group said the senator’s call to the Executive Branch to consider members of the press as among the country’s ‘frontliners’ in the national effort in fighting the virus is a “recognition” of the “important role of the media in society and the sacrifices and contributions they are making in this period of pandemic,” Gutierrez said.
Go is the current chair of the Senate Committee on Health and is well-known to always have the ear of Pres. Duterte, especially on issues affecting the lives of ordinary Filipinos.
On a visit last February 16, 2021, where Go witnessed the delivery of a brand-new firetruck and other government assistance to local cooperatives in Kibawe, Bukidnon, the lawmaker remarked that members of the press should be considered as ‘frontliners’ and should therefore be among those to be prioritized by the government for inoculation under the ‘National Vaccination Program’ once the vaccines are already made available.
“Ang mga media para sa akin po ay maituturing din pong napakaimportanteng sektor ng lipunan dahil para na rin po kayong frontliners dahil kayo ang nagdadala ng balita, kung ano ang dapat gawin sa lugar, kayo ang na-expose,” said Go in the statement released by his office, adding:
“So, dapat po ang media ay bigyan din ng prayoridad ‘pag andyan na ang safe at epektibong vaccine para tuloy-tuloy din po ang inyong pagtatrabaho, pagko-cover at pagdadala ng balita sa ating mga kababayan.”
‘Be on alert for further developments’
The NPC also pointed out that, last year, when the government started issuing special IDs and passes limiting the movement and travels of people to the so-called ‘APORs’ (authorized persons outside of residence’), the media, together with health workers and the police, are among those given the privilege.
“(T)his is already tacit admission that the media is indeed among the country’s ‘frontliners’ in the fight against the pandemic.
“The NPC thus commends Sen. Bong Go in reminding the national government of this little but vital fact,” Gutierrez pointed out further.
The Club official also said that with the senator’s announcement, it is ready to mobilize and alert its over 20 affiliate local media organizations all over the country “to be ready for further development as regards the proposal of Sen. Bong Go.”
“The NPC stands ready to cooperate with relevant agencies of the government to facilitate the vaccination of all its members and other media workers once the vaccines are made available.
“We also encourage the public to put their faith in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines being procured by the government on everybody’s behalf; inoculation is the best way for the entire country to swiftly recover from the devastations and dislocations that COVID-19 has caused to our economy and in our daily lives,” Gutierrez also said.