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Navotas mayor gets first Sinovac dose 'with a heavy heart'

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Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/tvpatrol/04/11/toby-tiangco.jpg"/><figcaption>Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco receives his first dose of Sinovac on April 12, 2021. <em>Photo from Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco&#x27;s Twitter</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco on Monday received his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine from Sinovac, days after saying that he has a &quot;heavy heart&quot; in getting China-made jabs.</p><p>Tiangco said the reluctance to get the Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccine was &quot;not medical&quot; but more about his &quot;right or wrong sense of patriotism.&quot;</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LOOK: Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco has received his first dose of Sinovac. The mayor - who has comorbidities - earlier said that he would get the Chinese-made jab “with a heavy heart” due to China’s incursion in the West Philippine Sea (Photos from Mayor Toby Tiangco’s Twitter) <a href="https://t.co/H6vYVfl1mO">pic.twitter.com/H6vYVfl1mO</a></p>— Kat Domingo (@_katrinadomingo) <a href="https://twitter.com/_katrinadomingo/status/1381586091803766785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>&quot;I have no issue against Sinovac, or any Chinese company for that matter, I have an issue with the Chinese government,&quot; the mayor told ABS-CBN News in a text message.</p><p>&quot;Kasi diba parang kasabay ng pagdala na bakuna ay yung pag dami naman ng barko sa West Philippine Sea. Parang nakaka-insulto,&quot; he said.</p><p>(The vaccines arrived almost the same time Chinese ships increased in number in the West Philippine Sea.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/12/10/20/chinas-vaccine-diplomacy-a-global-charm-offensive">China&#x27;s &#x27;vaccine diplomacy&#x27;: A global charm offensive</a></li></ul><p>Last month, at least 220 Chinese ships were seen moored near the Julian Felipe Reef, a resource-rich area within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/20/21/220-chinese-militia-vessels-spotted-moored-in-west-philippine-sea">220 &#x27;Chinese militia vessels&#x27; spotted moored in West Philippine Sea</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/08/21/to-avert-takeover-ph-govt-urged-to-consistently-ask-china-to-leave-julian-felipe-reef">To avert takeover, PH gov&#x27;t urged to consistently ask China to leave Julian Felipe Reef</a></li></ul><p>Earlier this month, Chinese ships - armed with missiles - also chased away a Filipino fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/09/21/filipino-vessel-chased-down-by-2-chinese-missile-attack-craft-in-west-ph-sea">Filipino vessel chased down by 2 Chinese missile attack craft in West PH Sea</a></li></ul><p>&quot;The issue was not medical but sabi ko nga di ko alam kung it is a right or wrong sense of patriotism,&quot; he said.</p><p>Tiangco said he was unable to secure a dose from AstraZeneca as these jabs were reserved for senior citizens in Navotas.</p><p>Despite his misgivings, Tiangco said he decided to receive his first Sinovac dose due to his responsibilities as the mayor of Navotas.</p><p>&quot;During this time of the pandemic, I have a responsibility to my constituents, to show them that I believe that it is safe,&quot; he said.</p><p>The local government of Navotas has been conducting &quot;vaccination orientations to various sectors&quot; in the area to improve confidence on COVID-19 vaccines, especially those from China, Tiangco told ABS-CBN News in a separate interview last month.</p><p>Sinovac jabs reportedly have a lower efficacy rate compared to COVID-19 vaccines produced by American and European pharmaceutical giants.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/04/12/21/chinese-vaccine-found-507-percent-effective-against-brazil-variant">Chinese vaccine found 50.7 percent effective against Brazil variant</a></li></ul><p>The city &quot;conducted webinars with health experts&quot; and &quot;posted on social media testimonies of Navoteño frontliners in other countries who have been vaccinated,&quot; Tiangco said.</p><p>&quot;[It&#x27;s] part of the process to improve vaccine confidence,&quot; the Navotas mayor said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/02/21/metro-mayors-push-to-boost-public-trust-in-sinovac-other-covid-19-vaccines">Metro mayors push to boost public trust in Sinovac, other COVID-19 vaccines</a></li></ul><p>As of April 12, Navotas has vaccinated 3,618 medical frontliners, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities.</p><p>&quot;Susunod na po rito ang ating mga economic essential workers,&quot; Tiangco said.</p><p>(We will soon vaccinate economic essential workers.)</p><p>&quot;Malaki po ang maitutulong ng pagpapabakuna para matapos na ang pandemya, at mapaangat na natin ang ating buhay at kabuhayan,&quot; he said.</p><p>(The vaccination program will greatly help us end the pandemic and improve the quality of life and livelihood here.)</p><p>In February, Tiangco said Navotas&#x27; COVID-19 vaccination program would include those who work and study in the city regardless of their place of residence.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/02/04/21/non-residents-of-navotas-may-avail-of-free-covid-19-vaccine-mayor">Non-residents of Navotas may avail of free COVID-19 vaccine: mayor</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1612991" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>"I have no issue against Sinovac, or any Chinese company for that matter, I have an issue with the Chinese government," the mayor told ABS-CBN News in a text message.</p>

"I have no issue against Sinovac, or any Chinese company for that matter, I have an issue with the Chinese government," the mayor told ABS-CBN News in a text message.

Navotas mayor gets first Sinovac dose 'with a heavy heart'

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Navotas mayor gets first Sinovac dose 'with a heavy heart'

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 12, 2021 09:36 PM PHT

Read More:

Toby Tiangco

Navotas

COVID-19

COVID-19 vaccine

coronavirus

Sinovac

China

West Philippine Sea

health

sovereignty

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