MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte "appears" to have received his COVID-19 booster jab, Malacañang said on Friday.

"Sa declaration niya kagabi sa Talk to the People, it appears na nakapag-booster na si Pangulo at Sinopharm ang nagamit,"' said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

(Based on his declaration last night during the Talk to the People, it appears the President has received his booster and Sinopharm was used.)

Duterte on Thursday told officials in a taped meeting, "Sinopharm ang binigay sa akin eh, but including the booster."

(Sinopharm was given to me, but including the booster.)

Malacañang has yet to release photos of the inoculation.

Video courtesy of PTV

The elderly and people with comorbidities are at risk of developing severe COVID-19.

The 76-year-old Duterte, the oldest to become President, earlier said he suffers from Barrett’s esophagus, an inflammation of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.

The President, in various instances, said he also struggled with back pains, migraines and Buerger's disease, which is linked to blockages in blood vessels associated with smoking during his youth.

Duterte received his second Sinopharm vaccine dose in July.

The Philippines has fully vaccinated at least 51 million of its 109 million population. At least 2.8 million people have received booster doses.

The health department on Thursday reported 17,220 new coronavirus infections and the country's highest ever COVID-19 positivity rate at 36.9 percent.

It announced earlier in the day the detection of 29 additional cases of the highly transmissible omicron variant, raising the country's total to 43.

• Duterte orders: 'Restrain, arrest' unvaccinated people who refuse to 'stay put'