No handling of vaccines for BOC, says Galvez

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) will not handle Covid-19 vaccines but they will only undertake the “pre-clearance” of the vaccines, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Tuesday.

“Sa Customs, mayroong tinatawag nating early clearance o pre-cleared. Wala na pong handling ang Customs. Ang gagawin isusubmit na natin yung information tapos magkakaroon ng pre-clearance,” Galvez said in a press conference in Muntinlupa, when asked about Customs’ role in delivery of vaccines in the country.

(In Customs, there will be an early clearance or pre-cleared. Customs will not handle anything. We will just submit information and there will be pre-clearance.)

“Kanina nandoon si [Customs] Commissioner [Rey] Guerrero at sinabi niya na talagang nakita naman parang tinignan lang ng Customs and then immediately diniretso na ating vaccine refrigerators,” he added.

(Guerrero was there and he said Customs will just take a look and then immediately the vaccines will be placed in the vaccine refrigerators.)

“Sinasabi niya [Guerrero] na may tinatawag na zero hour o zero minutes sa Customs kasi pre-cleared na,” Galvez further said.

(There will be zero hour or zero minutes for Customs because vaccines were already pre-cleared.)

In a speech on Monday night, the President warned government workers, including those in the customs bureau, that they must not hinder in the smooth flow of Covid-19 vaccines in the country.

Earlier, authorities conducted a simulation exercise for the arrival of initial Pfizer vaccine doses, which is expected next week. 

JE