IT's no longer just the national athletes bound for the Tokyo Olympics and Southeast Asian Games who will be vaccinated for COVID-19.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino hailed the government's approval through Deputy chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 Vince Dizon of the prioritization of all national athletes in the vaccination program.
“This is another great news for our national athletes and for all Philippine sports,” said Tolentino in a statement.
The development came just three days after Filipino athletes participating in the Tokyo Games and the SEA Games in Vietnam were inoculated at the Prince Hotel in Manila.
Senator Bong Go also lauded the government’s effort to heed his appeal to include in the priority list for COVID-19 vaccination the Filipino athletes and other delegates competing in the Olympics and SEA Games.
“Nagpapasalamat po tayo at pinakinggan ng gobyerno ang ating naunang apela na bigyang prayoridad ang taing mga atletang sasabak sa Olympics at SEA Games para sa pagpapabakuna,” said Go.
“Bandila ng Pilipins at dangal ng lahing Pilipino ang itatanghal ng ating mga atleta sa mga palarong ito. Dapat lamang na bigyan din natin sila ng sapat na proteksyon.”
Majority of the 730 athletes vaccinated on Friday are seeing action in the Hanoi SEA Games, while rower Cris Nievarez was the lone Olympic-bound athlete who showed up as the rest of those who qualified in Tokyo are all training overseas.
The POC said close to 1,600 athletes and coaches are part of the national team and pool included in the roster of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), including those who are bound for the SEA Games and Para Games.
No schedule has been set for the next round of the vaccination.
Go emphasized sports is also a source of livelihood for athletes and other sports professionals, especially those who come from poor communities.
“Marami po sa atleta natin ay nagsikap at nanggaling pa sa malalayong lugar. Sila po ang pag-asa ng kanilang pamilya upang makaahon sa hirap. Ang proteksyon nila ay hindi lang para makapag-compete, kundi pati rin may maiuwing pagkain, kabuhayan, at kasiyahan sa kanilang mga komunidad na pinanggalingan,” said Go.
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