PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has thrown out the policy of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, which required private companies to enter a tripartite agreement first with the national government and the biopharmaceutical firms, before they could buy vaccines for their employees.
In shunning vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez’s policy, Duterte has also given the green light to employers to buy vaccines at their own will – and directly with the vaccine makers.
“I have ordered Secretary Galvez to sign any and all documents that would allow the private sector to import at will. Maski magkano, ilan ang gusto nila ipasok, okay sa akin,” said Duterte during a meeting on the pandemic.
The President cited compelling reasons behind his decision — an alarming surge in transmissions and the government financial constraints.
“We are allowing the private sector immediately to open the buying of COVID-19 vaccines, wherever they can get it because what the government got is only a limited amount,” Duterte said.
The government has been at the receiving end of nasty remarks over its slow rollout of vaccines as manifested in figures released by the National Deployment and Vaccination Task Force.
To date, the government has only managed to vaccinate less than 40 percent of the country’s 1.7 million healthcare workers, the lowest in the entire Southeast Asia.
Top government officials earlier admitted that aggressive vaccination is the only hope for the Philippines as it battles a new wave of infections after reopening the economy.