APPALLED by allegations of him preventing private companies from securing direct deals with vaccine manufacturers, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said that the government is doing employers a big favor by ensuring lower prices of COVID-19 vaccines under a tripartite agreement.
“Ang maganda sa tripartite agreement ay nakakacreate ng malaking volume at napapababa ang presyo. May nangyari na three companies, because of big volumes [of vaccines], naipapababa natin nang napakababa po,” Galvez said.
Another reason, Galvez added, private companies may not purchase COVID-19 vaccines without the government’s participation in the transactions, because the manufacturers are holding the national government responsible for the indemnification of patients who may suffer adverse effects as a result of taking the jabs.
“Kasi sa ngayon dahil pandemic, walang commercialization ang vaccine. Ito po ay emergency use authorization, meaning yung adverse effect at indemnification talagang sa gobyerno mananagot po,” Galvez said.
He explained that the manufacturer cannot shoulder funds for indemnification, which ensures compensation for individuals who will experience side effects from the COVID-19 jabs.
“Yung responsibility po na iyon [indemnification] hindi pwede mai-delegate sa private sector at LGU. Talagang yung national government ang panghahawakan ng manufacturer… yung produkto, considering it is under clinical trial, kung sakali magkaroon ng adverse effect, they [company] will be immune of liability also,” Galvez pointed out.
The vaccine czar has denied reports that the national government is stopping local governments and private companies from procuring vaccines.