(Eagle News) – The private sector should still enter into a tripartite agreement with the Philippine government to purchase vaccines against COVID-19, according to Malacanang on Tuesday, March 30, clarifying President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive on the issue.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that vaccines are still covered by emergency use authorization (EUA) and has no approval for commercial use.
“Lilinawin ko lang po ‘no: Ang pag-aangkat po ay sa pamamagitan pa rin ng tripartite agreement. Bakit po? Dahil lahat po nito ay covered pa lamang ng emergency use authorization; wala pa pong approval for commercial use ang kahit anong bakuna,” he said in a Malacanang press briefing on Tuesday, March 30.
Roque said that the Philippine government’s signature on the indemnity provision covered by the law is still needed in the acquisition of vaccines.
This provision was placed to cover incidents of adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Roque said that this is because it is still the Philippine government’s signature is needed since it would be the one to provide indemnity funds to victims.
-Gov’t’s signature needed for indemnity provision on purchased vaccines-
“Importante pa rin po ang lagda ng gobyerno dahil nga po doon sa indemnity provision ng ating batas ‘no na kailan lang po ay naisabatas po ng ating Kongreso na kung mayroon pong side effects, gobyerno pa rin ang magbabayad,” he explained.
He said that President Duterte’s directive given Monday night, March 29, would make it easier for private sector to coordinate with the government on the planned vaccine purchases.
Roque said that private persons or companies that want to buy vaccines just need to coordinate with vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
Everything would still be done through a tripartite agreement.
“So ano po ang nagbago? Ang nagbago lang po ay iyong mga pribadong sektor, kung talagang gusto nilang umangkat, ipagbigay-alam lang po sa atin, sa ating Vaccine Czar, at gagawin po natin ang ating tripartite agreement,” he said.
-No more delays, according to Galvez-
Galvez also reiterated this. He said that President Duterte’s directive would hasten the process of private sector purchases of vaccines through the tripartite agreement with government.
“Iyon po ang kaniyang directive na dapat wala pong delay para at least wala pong perceived na kinu-control po natin iyong tinatawag nating procurement. So iyong ginawa lang ng ating mahal na Presidente ay binigyan tayo ng directive na pabilisin iyong proseso,” he said.
Galvez said that because of the EUA, private firms or individuals wanting to buy vaccines “should have no profit on this.”
“May sinasabi tayong no profit, no loss at the same time no commercialization. So hindi pa po natin puwede po itong i-sell dahil kasi po ang tinatawag nating indemnity, the government is the one responsible for the indemnity and with that talaga pong hindi pupuwede po ang commercialization until the time of this pandemic,” he explained.
President Rodrigo Duterte in his Talk to the Nation on Monday night, March 29, 2021, said that he is directing Secretary Galvez to sign all the necessary papers so the private sector can import COVID-19 vaccines at will.
(Eagle News Service)
