Malacanang said Monday that COVID-19 will take care of people who are unwilling to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

"Bahala na si COVID-19 sa kanila since ayaw nila magpabakuna (COVID-19 will take of them since they don't want to get vaccinated)," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque replied when asked if the government is eyeing programs to convince people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Roque's comments came four days after some people in Metro Manila swarmed COVID-19 vaccination sites.

President Rodrigo Duterte made a comment on July 28 that police and barangay officials will be deployed to prevent unvaccinated people from going out because they are walking spreaders.

Roque however stressed that such chaos is not the President's fault.

"The address was July 28. The incident happened August 5. Walang pagkakamali ang ating Presidente sa kaniyang pagsasalita (The President was not wrong in what he said)," the presidential spokesperson explained.

"The bottom line -- it is the job of LGUs [local government units] to implement an orderly and humane vaccination program. Huwag ibaling ang sisi sa Presidente (Do not pin the blame on the President)," Roque added.

The government is eyeing to vaccinate 76.3 million by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19. However, only 11.3 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated so far, data presented by Roque on Monday showed.

Based on data from the Department of Health, COVID-19 has killed 29,122 Filipinos as of Sunday.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 1,658,916, with recoveries at 1,552,278. Active cases total 77,516. --KG, GMA News