MANILA, Philippines — It sometimes hurt to say that people in government are corrupt, vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr. said Monday.
“Sa atin po, gusto ko lang pong paalala sa ating mga mahal na mamayan, marami pong mababait at saka very honest dito sa government service po natin. Huwag po nating anuhin na pag galing ka sa gobyerno corrupt po ang mga tao. Minsan nakakasakit po ng damdamin…” Galvez said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.
(I just want to remind the public that there are many good and very honest people in government service. Let’s not assume that people in government are corrupt. It sometimes hurts)
“Katulad ng sinasabi ng mahal na Presidente na talagang rest assured the public will know that the government that we have is not corrupt,” he added.
Galvez made the remarks when asked to respond to Senator Panfilo Lacson’s recent statement regarding the varying costs of a Chinese Covid- 19 vaccine in the Philippines and neighboring countries.
“The difference in prices of Sinovac vaccine at $5, $14 and $38 reminds me of an old story about how corruption is committed in three Southeast Asian countries—UNDER the table, ON the table, and INCLUDING the table,” Lacson said in a Twitter post over the weekend.
“Here, it may cost $38.50 (P1,847.25) per dose but is covered by a confidentiality disclosure agreement,” the senator also said.
Galvez assured that all government’s dealings are “fair and square.”
The government’s vaccination program is now the subject of separate inquiries by the Senate and the House of Representatives.