SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian called on the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to expedite the vaccination of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), particularly those scheduled for deployment this year.

'Bakunahan na natin sila habang nandidito sila sa Pilipinas para maaari na silang makabalik agad sa trabaho. Marami sa kanila nagta-trabaho sa barko o sa mga hotels sa abroad. Marami sa mga ganitong negosyo ay bumabalik na paunti-unti. Pero kailangan nating siguruhin na bago makaalis ang mga OFWs sa bansa ay bakunado na silang lahat (Let us vaccinate them while they're still in the Philippines so they could go back to their jobs. Several of them are working on ships or in hotels abroad. Most of these businesses are gradually reopening. We have to ensure that our returning OFWs are vaccinated here in the country before their redeployment abroad),' Gatchalian said.