House panel OKs bills to let LGUs buy COVID-19 jabs directly
MANILA, Philippines — Two proposed measures to allow local governments to engage manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines directly have hurdled the committee level.
The proposals are meant to speed up procurement and the rollout of a vaccination program across the country.
House Bill 8648 would allow for the waiving of the Phase 4 clinical trial requirement of the jabs "to expedite the procurement" on the grounds that minimum standards for its distribution would be determined by Philippine regulators.
The bill would allow local government units to get the vaccines after making an advanced payment of 50% of the cost and their authority will be until the health department has fully implemented the government's vaccination program.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque), Majority Leader Martin Romualdez (Leyte), and Minority Leader Joseph Paduano (Abang Lingkod party-list) said in their explanatory note that "the costs of each day of not having the vaccine are staggering."
Citing estimates from the National Economic Development Authority, they said Metro Manila and its neighboring regions lose 0.28 percentage points of Gross Domestic Product growth, or an equivalent of around P2.1 billion a day, because of the restrictions prompted by the pandemic.
"This exacerbates the effects of this pandemic, particularly on the more vulnerable members of our society where involuntary hunger has reached unmatched heights in the country's recent history," the lawmakers said.
EUA still needed
In their proposal, LGUs can only enter into purchase deals with vaccine makers that have secured Emergency Use Approval from the Food and Drug Administration, which, so far includes the US-based Pfizer and the British-Swedish's AstraZeneca. Many cities have already signed agreements with those manufacturers.
"Following the advance payment of supply of vaccines, the foreign manufacturer, in consideration of its agreement with the concerned LGU, shall undertake to deliver the supply of vaccines within six months from the perfection of the contract," the House bill added.
The said measure would provide compensation, through an indemnification fund, for individuals who would be vaccinated and have adverse reactions. It would also exempt the LGU's efforts from import duties, taxes and other fees, "provided that the vaccines acquired shall only be used for their residents and constituents" and not for commercial distribution.
Further, it states that "the availment of the advance payment mechanism" would not be an exemption from the Commission on Audit's post-transaction audit, saying the body would have to submit its report to both chambers.
In a statement, however, a group of medical professionals said they were opposed to such measures, warning that constituents of cities and provinces with better resources could edge out those on the government's priority list.
"Mag-uunahang makabili ang may pera, maimpluwensya, at makapangyarihan," said the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19. "Maaaring mahuli na ang mga frontliner, matatanda, at may mga ibang sakit - ang mga tunay na kailangang mauna sa bakuna dahil sa mataas na peligro sa kanilang buhay."
(Those with money, influence and power would be scrambling to get the vaccines first. This can put behind our frontliners, senior citizens and others vulnerable who are truly in need of it with a high risk to their lives.)
They added that vaccines' price could go up with piece-by-piece purchase. "Nananawagan ang HPAAC sa ating mga mambabatas na tutulan ang nasabing panukala upang masiguradong maging maayos ang pagbabakuna ng mga Pilipino," the group said.
(We at the HPAAC urge our lawmakers to oppose this measure to ensure the proper vaccination of Filipinos.)
Congress had approved P72.5 billion in funding for the Duterte administration's purchase of the much-awaited vaccines although deals have yet to be signed.
Bill seeks special procurement rules for vaccines
A similar proposal, or House Bill 8649, filed by Rep. Junie Cua (Quirino), also contains a provision tasking the interior secretary, along with the Government Procurement Policy Board, to come up with special procurement rules if the bill is enacted into law.
And while both had hurdled the appropriations committee, it would still be subject to amendments. Should it be enacted, it will only remain in effect during the state of calamity and public health emergency due to the pandemic.
President Rodrigo Duterte in January allowed for local governments to enter into tripartite agreements with the national government and vaccine manufacturers if they would want to secure doses for their own constituents.
By mid-January, 28 LGUs have either signed deals or announced funding for AstraZeneca's doses, including Duterte's hometown Davao City, with none opting for the Chinese-made Sinovac which the administration had been criticized for its seeming preference for the jabs. — with reports from Xave Gregorio
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