MANILA - The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said vaccine confidence among Filipinos have increased to nearly 75 percent about a month since the Philippines began its inoculation program against COVID-19.

This is based on a survey on willingness to get vaccinated, conducted from March 19 to March 30 among an undisclosed number of respondents, said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

Some 75 percent responded in the affirmative when asked if they would be willing to be vaccinated, Vergeire said in an online press conference.

"Mataas na 'yung kumpiyansa ng mga kababayan natin sa pagbabakuna compared to the initial which was just at 65 percent," she said.

(The confidence of our countrymen in vaccines has improved compared to the initial trust figures which was just at 65 percent.)

• COVID-19 vaccine confidence grows as side effect worries fade

Nearly 86 percent of respondents said they believe that COVID-19 jabs are "safe and efficacious," the official said.

"Nakita natin 'yung pagtaas ng kumpiyansa ng ating mga kababayan noong nakita nilang marami na pong nababakunahan lalong lalo na po na nakita nila na maayos naman ang proseso ng gobyerno," she said.

(We saw the improvement in vaccine confidence after they saw more people getting vaccinated, and especially after they saw that government processes were good.)

In February, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said only 3 out of 10 Metro Manila residents were willing to receive COVID-19 vaccines due to fears of possible side effects.

• Only 3 out of 10 Metro Manila residents willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19: DILG

The Philippines aims to inoculate at least 50 million people by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19.

As of early May, only 500,000 have received 2 doses of vaccines, while another 2 million have taken their first dose.

• Only 6 pct of senior citizens in PH vaccinated vs COVID-19: DOH

So far, the Philippines has been vaccinating between 67,000 and 83,000 people a day, and hopes to jab at least 100,000 people daily as more vaccines arrive.

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