Mayors, guvs got ‘nervous’ after Senate fails to pass Covid vaccine bill – Angara

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sonny Angara on Friday disclosed that many “nervous” local executives called him up after the Senate was not able to immediately pass a bill seeking to exempt them from procurement laws.

Angara, who is sponsoring Senate Bill No. 2057 or the proposed Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act, said he received calls from “a lot of nervous mayors and governors” after Wednesday’s Senate session ended without the passage of the measure.

“When we didn’t pass it on Wednesday, I got calls from a lot of nervous mayors and governors who said ‘Paano ‘to? Yung bayaran namin sa AstraZeneca sa Feb. 24 na’,” the senator said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

(When we didn’t pass it on Wednesday, I got calls from a lot of nervous mayors and governors who said ‘What will we do? We’re already scheduled to make payments to AstraZeneca on Feb. 24’)

He said he advised these local executive officials to call up senators and raise their concerns with them.

“Sabi ko ‘Tawagan mo yung mga senador para alam nila yan kasi pwede kong sabihin sakanila yan pero iba ‘pag ikaw ang nagsabi sa kanila, they will realize the importance not just to you but to your citizens and to everyone who is looking forward to getting vaccinated’,” he added.

(I said ‘Call the other senators so they know, because I could be the one to tell them that but if you raise your concerns with them directly they will realize the importance not just to you but to your citizens and to everyone who is looking forward to getting vaccinated.’)

The Senate started deliberating on Senate Bill No. 2057 or the proposed Covid-19 Vaccination Program Act in plenary on Wednesday. On Thursday, President Rodrigo Duterte certified its passage as urgent.

The chamber is expected to pass the measure on Monday following the certification from the President, which will allow the Senate to pass the bill on second and third reading on the same day.

Angara noted that there are at least three senators who signified intent to interpellate him on the bill.

Under the bill, local government units (LGUs) making advance payments for their vaccine purchases will be protected from lawsuits.

“Under the Local Government Code, there’s a prohibition on advance payments so dun kinakabahan ang ating local governments kasi kumontrata na sila e, because alam nila urgent, yun ang kinakatakutan, baka makasuhan sila despite their good intentions gusto nilang makatulang sa kanoalng mga nasasakupan or constituents,” he said.

(Under the local government code, there’s a prohibition on advance payments so dun kinakabahan ang ating local governments because they already signed contracts because they know the need is urgent, that’s  their fear, they could be sued despite their good intentions to help their people, their constituents.)

“You need to exempt them from the Local Government Code because there’s a provision in the Local Government Code which prohibits LGUs from making payments for goods which have not yet been delivered,” he added.

The bill allows LGUs to make an advance payment of not more than 50 percent of the contract price “if required by the supplier, manufacturer, distributor, contractor or consultant.”

‘Immunity from suit’

Angara also pointed out that the bill also protects health workers and others involved in administering the vaccine from liability.

“[T]he immunity from suit refers to health workers and others involved in administering the vaccine,” he told INQUIRER.net in a message.

The bill requires the Health secretary to “provide guidelines declaring a covered person to be immune from suit and liability under Philippine laws with respect to all claims arising out of, related to, or resulting from the administration or use of a Covid-19 vaccine under the Covid-19 Vaccination Program, except if the claim is brought about by willful misconduct.”

“Covered persons shall include public officers, their employees, contractors, and volunteers who are duly authorized to carry out and actually carrying out the Covid-19 Vaccination Program,” according to the measure.

/MUF