MEMBERS of Team Philippines to the Tokyo Olympics in July and the Hanoi 31st Southeast Asian Games in November will get their first dose of anti-Covid-19 vaccine starting on Friday, according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
The proceedings are set from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Manila Prince Hotel along San Marcelino Street in Manila.
Chief Implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 head Secretary Carlito Galvez, Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Covid-19 testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon will witness the vaccination of the athletes, coaches and delegation members.
“The good news is the athletes, coaches and delegation members will get their vaccines this Friday,” Tolentino told the online session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.
“Rollout begins on Friday,” he added. “Let’s get vaccinated.”
The development couldn’t have come at a better time for national team members
During the SEA Games Federation meeting last week, the Hanoi Organizing Committee announced a “No Vaccine, No Participation” policy for all athletes and officials seeing action in the November 21 to December 2 games Vietnam is hosting for the second time since 2003.
The rule prompted Tolentino to write Duque and the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases last May 18 asking for the prioritization of athletes and coaches for the vaccine.
Two days later, the POC’s request was approved.
For the Tokyo Olympics set from July 23 to August 8, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach announced athletes don’t need to be vaccinated.
But the POC chief encouraged all members of the Philippine team qualified to both international meets, including para athletes, to have themselves inoculated with whatever brand that will be administered—especially those who are currently in Manila.
“With the surge, like in India and elsewhere in the world, it’s ‘get the vaccine as early as possible,” Tolentino, the congressman from Cavite’s Eighth District, told the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
Tolentino, also head of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines or PhilCycling, said those who are reluctant to get vaccinated have no choice—or lose their slots to the Hanoi SEA Games.
“We cannot force those who refuse to be vaccinated, but if they don’t, they can’t participate in Vietnam,” he said.
Tolentino said the POC already coordinated with the national sports associations to provide the Olympic body with a provisional list of their athletes and coaches bound for the SEA Games.
“For those NSAs which have yet to conduct their national championships to determine their lineup for the SEA Games, they would have to be vaccinated at a later date,” Tolentino said.
The delegation to the Tokyo Olympics, Tolentino said, is easier to handle.
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