Vaccine program bill awaiting DU30 okay
The Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021, which seeks to speed up the procurement and administration of Covid-19 vaccines in the country and establish an indemnity fund, has already been transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for his signature.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go disclosed during his personal visit and distribution of assistance to employees of Veterans Golf Club in Quezon City Thursday that he expects the measure to be signed by Friday.
The measure aims to hasten the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines by allowing local government units to make advance payments.
It also proposes the creation of a Covid-19 National Vaccine Indemnity
Fund which will be administered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and will be sourced from the 2021 national budget’s Contingent Fund. This is one of the requirements sought by Covid-19 vaccine suppliers.
Go said he and his fellow lawmakers had worked double time to speed up the passage of the bill to help expedite the delivery of the much-needed vaccines to the country. The measure was sponsored by Senate Committee on Finance Chair Sonny Angara and was also co-sponsored by Go and other senators.
“We voted on third reading and it was signed yesterday by the respective leaderships of both Houses and I heard it was already transmitted to the Office of the President yesterday,” Go shared.
“I’m sure the Office of the Executive Secretary will be working on it, and will be signed soon by the President,” he added.
The Covid-19 Vaccination Program
Act of 2021 was passed by the Senate on Tuesday, 23 February, while the House of Representatives adopted the Senate version of the measure on the same day.
The measure aims to hasten the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines by allowing local government units to make advance payments.