President Rodrigo Roa Duterte discusses matters with Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque on the sidelines of the 22nd Cabinet Meeting at the Malacañan Palace on February 5, 2018. ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Why doesn’t President Rodrigo Duterte want to publicize his Covid-19 vaccination? Apparently, he doesn’t want to expose his rear end to the public, because he prefers to be injected with the Covid-19 vaccine through his butt.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque said it was the sole reason Duterte did not want his vaccination publicized.

“Sabi nga niya dahil sa puwet siya magpapasaksak so hindi pupuwedeng public,” he said in a virtual presser.

Vaccines are usually injected into the deltoid muscle of the arm. Only in uncommon instances are vaccines injected through the buttocks.

Roque also said Duterte’s decision to have his vaccination behind closed doors was already final.

In August last year, Duterte expressed willingness to receive the first doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine to assure the public of its safety.

“Pagdating ng bakuna, in public, para walang satsat diyan, magpa-injection ako. Ako ‘yung unang pag-experimentuhan,” he said.

“Kaya ako, para ipakita ko sa kanila na nagtiwala ako at hindi sila nagkamali mag-offer… ako ang unang magpabakuna. Kung puwede sa akin, puwede sa lahat,” he added.

Earlier this month, Duterte backed out from his promise and said government officials like himself would be the last to get inoculated.

The country has a P73.2-billion budget for its national vaccination program, which is expected to launch in February.

The country has recorded 516,166 Covid-19 cases as of Jan. 26. John Ezekiel J. Hirro