President Rodrigo Duterte said that those who refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 should stay at home or risk getting jailed and arrested in his statement made last Tuesday, January 4 after Metro Manila mayors agreed to pass local ordinances that will restrict unvaccinated people’s movements and activities due to the increase of infections in the region.

“Yung hindi magpabakuna at nalaman ng barangay captain, sabihin na lang nila ‘Huwag kang lumabas’ at kung lumabas ka, you will be escorted. If you force the issue, the barangay captain can place you under arrest and dalhin ka sa estasyon,” expressed Duterte in his statement.

After the National Capital Region (NCR) was placed under Alert Level 3 from January 3 to 15, stricter measures on individuals who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 were imposed by Metro Manila mayors, according to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Benhur Abalos last Monday.

Under Alert Level 3, unvaccinated individuals are expected to remain in their residences at all times, prohibiting them from indoor and outdoor dining areas, leisure or social trips via public transportation, and domestic travel, with the exception of the procurement of essential goods and services.

Addressing this, the president reiterated the importance of vaccines, stating that they provide each person protection and defense against the deadly virus, even quoting health experts’ claims that refusing to get vaccinated will only put a person at higher risk of contracting severe illness, complications, and death.

“Ngayon, kung maghingi kayo ng tulong sa akin, sabihin ko hindi ako tutulong sa iyo kasi hindi ka nagpabakuna. Kung nagpabakuna ka, wala na akong problema tsaka wala ka nang problema. Ngayon kung mamatay ka, bahala ka sa sarili mo,” he added.

The president stated that even if there are only a few who have died from the virus so far, it’s still possible to get infected.