Duterte orders use of police, military air assets to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to provinces, municipalities

FILE PHOTO An Aeta woman gets her first dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 in the upland village of Sapangbato. (Photo from the Angeles City government)

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the use of air assets of the police and military to expedite the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to provinces and municipalities.

In a taped public address aired on Wednesday, Duterte said the government saw “fault lines” in its COVID-19 vaccination program, saying he found the deployment of vaccines in provinces lacking.

He said he has ordered the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to give “all necessary support” to local government units in the delivery of vaccines and mobilization of resources.

“Sabi ko, gamitin na lang ang mga air assets ng PNP pati AFP,” he said.

(I ordered to use the air assets of PNP and AFP.)

“Pagdeliver sa eroplano, pagdating doon, ‘yung mga helicopter will take over. Sila na ang maghatid doon sa mga municipal governments,” he added.

(When the vaccines arrive via plane in the country, the helicopters will take over and will deliver the vaccines to municipal governments.)

The local government units should just ensure that there will be enough personnel able to administer the vaccines.

“Dapat lang pagdating doon talagang nandoon na ang mga tao, the human resources side who would be ready to do the injections,” he said.

Sanctions

Duterte also said he has ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to give sanctions to LGUs and local chief executives not performing or using the COVID-19 vaccines given to them “in the most expeditious manner.”

“I will hold each and every LGU accountable for this,” he said.

He likewise instructed agencies to make sure that LGUs will receive enough daily vaccine supply as the government aims to administer one million doses or more everyday.

EDV