Lawmakers speed up jabs deliveries

Pharmaceutical companies, as well as the World Health Organization’s COVAX facility, are asking for assurance from the Philippines that they would not be held liable in case of such events since the Covid-19 vaccines are to be used under emergency use aut

The Senate on Tuesday approved a measure that seeks to expedite the country’s purchase and administration of coronavirus disease vaccines while the House of Representatives expressed optimism about the rollout of the government’s mass program following its approval of a counterpart bill.

With 22 affirmative votes, zero negative and zero abstention, senators passed on the third and final reading Senate Bill (SB) 2057 otherwise known as the Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021.

Once enacted, the measure is expected to speed up the government’s national inoculation program as it will remove various roadblocks that caused a delay on the arrival of vaccines including the absence of an indemnification law.

An indemnification law will assure vaccine manufacturers that it will not be held liable in case recipients experience serious side effects.

Pharmaceutical companies, as well as the World Health Organization’s COVAX facility, are asking for assurance from the Philippines that they would not be held liable in case of such events since the Covid-19 vaccines are to be used under emergency use authorization.

“The entire nation is eagerly waiting for the start of the vaccination program that carries with it the promise of immunization from the Covid-19 virus that has caused so much hardship and pain to all Filipinos over the past year. With this measure, we hope to see the start of the inoculation of our population, starting with the priority sectors, at the shortest possible time,” the bill’s primary author, Senator Sonny Angara, said.

“We as a people have lost so much because of the pandemic — in terms of jobs, opportunities and human life. However, we believe that with this measure, we have not lost out on the belief that there will in fact be an end to this ordeal,” he added.

Under the measure, a P500-million National Vaccine Indemnity Fund will be sourced from the contingency fund of the 2021 General Appropriations Act to compensate inoculated individuals who will experience severe adverse effects or in the worst case, death.

“The indemnity fund will cover the indemnification agreements with the vaccine manufacturers, which the NTF (National Task Force) has started fulfilling. This removes one major stumbling block to the delivery of the vaccines to the country,” Angara said.

The figure will augment the existing funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation as the administrator of the indemnity fund.

These serious adverse side effects will be monitored by a special task group comprised of medical and vaccine experts which will also be established by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the sole purpose of conducting post-vaccination monitoring of patients.

The entire nation is eagerly waiting for the start of the vaccination program that carries with it the promise of immunization from the Covid-19 virus that has caused so much hardship and pain to all Filipinos over the past year.

Another provision of the measure empowers local government units (LGU) by authorizing it to procure vaccines together with the national government and the private sector through the National Task Force Against Covid-19 and the Department of Health (DoH).

SB 507 will likewise safeguard local officials from lawsuits due to possible violations under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act, Presidential Decree 1445 or the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines and the Local Government Code.

“The bill will provide legal cover to the LGU, many of which have intimated to us their concern about possible adverse findings by the Commission on Audit and even graft cases that may be filed against their officials,” he said.

For the private sector, the lawmaker said their procurement of vaccines will also be done in cooperation with the DoH and NTF, through a multiparty agreement.

Aside from the said provisions, the measure will mandate the issuance of Covid-19 vaccination cards, which could be digital or printed, to serve as a record of all anti-virus vaccinations received.

SB 2057 is a consolidation of Senate bills and proposed resolutions authored by Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Majority

Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, Senators Angara, Pia Cayetano, Imee R. Marcos, Grace Poe, and Ramon Bong Revilla Jr.

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, on the other hand, reminded the government’s health experts to exert all efforts in ensuring the safety and efficacy of the vaccines to be procured to ally the public’s fears and improve their confidence on the Duterte administration’s National Covid-19 Vaccine Roadmap.

He likewise pressed experts as well as the Food and Drug Administration to provide clear explanations to the public on measures being taken to guarantee that lives will not be put at risk once the mass inoculation commences.

“They should explain the plans and decisions to improve public confidence and remove their fears regarding the vaccines. Let us not let them live in fear, especially those who don’t know where to get the vaccines or what this vaccine is for,” Go noted.

Go also appealed to the public to trust the health experts and rely on credible sources of information in order to be aware and fully understand why vaccination is crucial in overcoming the pandemic towards full recovery.

“Trust our government because it is doing everything to protect the life of every Filipino,” he said.

Speed up procurement

Relatedly, following reports on the limits of China-made vaccine Sinovac, Hontiveros called on to the country’s pandemic task force to speed up the procurement of safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines for high-risk groups and medical front liners.

The lady Senator made the remark after the FDA said the China vaccine should only be administered to clinically healthy individuals aged 18 to 59 years old.

“Until now, there is still no answer on which vaccine brand is suitable for health workers. Which is the best for them among those issued with EUA? That should be prioritized,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“They could not afford to just sit down and wait. They are risking contracting Covid-19 every day. Our health workers also have loved ones who they’d like to go home to safely,” she added.

Senators had puzzled reactions with the pronouncement with some saying that the granting of EUA on the vaccine brand is “problematic” and seemed like a “half-hearted, half-baked endorsement”.

Over at the House of Representatives, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco is hoping that the recent approval of the proposed Emergency Vaccine Procurement Act of 2021 in the House of Representatives would expedite the delivery and rollout of Covid-19 vaccines in the country.

“We hope the bill will serve its noble purpose of helping the national government hasten the purchase and administration of the vaccine against Covid-19, which already killed more than 12,000 people nationwide and sent the economy into deep contraction,” he stated.

With 225 affirmative votes, no negative vote and six abstentions, lawmakers on Monday evening passed on third and final reading House Bill 8648, a measure filed by Velasco, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Minority Leader Joseph Stephen “Caraps” Paduano and Quirino Rep. Junie Cua.

“Time is of the essence. Each day of delay is very costly for the government, and leaves many of our vulnerable countrymen exposed to the dangers of this disease,” Velasco stressed.