Party-list solon eyes ‘team’ to facilitate private sector’s vaccine procurement

(FILE PHOTO) Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP

MANILA, Philippines — A party-list lawmaker from the House of Representatives on Thursday suggested that the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) should create a team that will facilitate the private sector’s procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

In a statement, Ang Probinsyano party-list Rep. Ronnie Ong said that the team should also be tasked to ensure the immediate delivery of the private sector’s procured vaccines.

Ong made this suggestion as he said it would “take time” to repeal or introduce amendments to Republic Act 11525 or the COVID-19 COVID-19 Vaccination Law.

Likewise, the lawmaker appealed that the DOH and NTF should relax the conditions set for the private sector in procuring their own vaccines.

“The future of our economy depends on the private sector which is our country’s main economic engine. We have to help them get back on their feet the soonest possible time,” he said.

“Ang problema parang itong NTF pa ang nagiging hadlang ngayon kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay hindi makabili ng bakuna itong ating private sector,” he added.

(The problem is that the NTF is the one who is restricting, that’s why the private sector can’t procure their own vaccines.)

Earlier, lawmakers slammed the DOH for a draft of the vaccination law’s implementing rules and regulations that surfaced, where it read that certain companies are excluded in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines.

But Malacañang clarified that private companies, including cigarette firms, are allowed to purchase COVID-19 vaccines provided that they enter into tripartite agreements with the national government.  —Liezelle Soriano Roy, Trainee 

EDV