‘Big lie’: Garin denies asking Galvez for vaccine rations

File photo of Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin (left) and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr.. INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — “A big lie.”

This was how Iloilo Representative Janette Garin described the allegations of vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. that she asked for her own allocation of the COVID-19 vaccines for her province.

Galvez made the disclosure amid claims of favoring certain local government units in the distribution of vaccines. Garin, a former secretary of Health, earlier called out Galvez over supposed “palakasan” in the allocation of COVID-19 shots.

“Ang sabi niya gusto ko daw na sa akin ibigay ang mga bakuna. This is not true at malaki po ‘yang kasinungalingan. What I am asking for is equitable and fair distribution of vaccines,” Garin said in a press briefing.

“Nasaan ang malinaw na distribution list? At si Secretary Galvez na rin mismo ang nagsabi na tinatawagan siya ng mga mayors at gobernador. Nagpapakita po ‘yan na nangyayari ‘yan dahil walang malinaw na batayan,” she added.

Galvez on Thursday claimed Garin had asked for vaccine allocation of the COVID-19 vaccines, further saying that this is not the “correct” protocol since lawmakers are not in the “lineage” of jab distribution.

The vaccine czar explained that vaccines are distributed to regional centers for health development, provincial and city health offices since they are the ones conducting the vaccination drive.

Garin previously called for a systematic and scientific way of distributing vaccines, questioning how the jabs are given based on “whoever calls, whoever is the friend or whoever is mad.”

The ex-Department of Health (DOH) chief also said Galvez should be “honest” with this work and not simply point to the DOH as the one in charge of vaccine allocation.

EDV