Duterte’s ‘hesitation’ won’t delay vaccine supply for PH

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the acquisition of vaccines will not depend on a country’s capacity to pay in advance, but on the issuance of an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). (PCOO file photo)

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte’s initial hesitation to pay a reservation fee to suppliers won’t delay the Philippines’ acquisition of supply of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines, Malacañang said Monday.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the acquisition of vaccines will not depend on a country’s capacity to pay in advance, but on the issuance of an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

“I don’t think it would have affected the timeline because unang-una, as I said, ngayon lang po nagkakaroon ng (first, as I said, it’s only now that there has been an) Emergency Use Authorization worldwide. As far as I know, there have only been two countries that have given EUAs and that is China and the United Kingdom. So hindi po tayo nahuhuli (So we’re not lagging behind),” he said.

Roque pointed out that making an advance payment will not necessarily mean that the Philippines will lag behind compared to other countries.

“The advance payment po, I don’t think will really affect when we will actually get it kasi lahat naman po tayo (because we are all) subject first to scientific scrutiny. So what determines kung kailan tayo magkakaroon (when we will get the vaccine) is scientific scrutiny,” he added.

He also said Duterte never insisted that paying reservation fees for a vaccine is a violation of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

“There is an exception under the RA 9184 that procurement pursuant to international agreements shall not be covered; and number two, there is expressed authorization vested on the President under Bayanihan 1 and 2 to resort to extraordinary procurement in relation to Covid,” he said.

Roque said Duterte eventually agreed to make advance payments after seeing initiatives of the private sector to purchase vaccines.

“Well, I think ang nangyari (what happened) was, the President was first told about the private sector initiative. And when the President was told, he was appreciative and said, let’s do everything that we can now to get the vaccines,” he said.

On Dec. 1, Duterte signed Executive Order 121 granting authority to the FDA director general to issue a EUA for Covid-19 drugs and vaccines subject to several conditions.

The EUA is expected to speed up the processing time for approval of potential vaccines from six months to 21 to 28 days.

Duterte approved the recommendation to make advance payments to suppliers of Covid-19 vaccines last Nov. 19.

First in line

Roque, meanwhile, said Duterte is willing to be vaccinated under EUA upon receiving permission from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines.

“As Spokesperson, I think the President is the best communication tool. So kung papayagan na po ng FDA, I think po mangunguna ang Presidente at nag-volunteer naman po siya, in fact, gustung-gusto na niya (So if the FDA will allow him, I think the President will be the first to volunteer, in fact, he really wants to be the first),” he said.

Duterte has previously expressed willingness to be the first to be inoculated with a Covid-19 vaccine to allay fears on its effectiveness.

“Ang Presidente hindi na makaantay. Gusto niyang talagang turukan na siya nang mapakita nga po sa buong bayan na ligtas at epektibo, ito po’y dumaan sa expert panel group nang pinakadalubhasang Pilipino (The President can’t wait. He really wants to be the first to be vaccinated to show the whole nation that it’s safe and effective, that it underwent an expert panel group of Filipino scientists),” Roque said.

Asked if Duterte would be willing to get inoculated with the vaccine live, Roque said it won’t be necessary to make a spectacle out of the vaccination but it will all depend on the President.

“It all depends on the President. Pero (But) the point is, hindi naman kinakailangan na ipakitang live iyan (It doesn’t necessarily need to be live). But in any case, it’s the President’s decision; I will not second guess the President,” he said.

Roque, meanwhile, said he would leave to Cabinet secretaries to decide whether they are also willing to be inoculated with the vaccine. However, he noted that they would probably hesitate to avoid being criticized as being given “VIP” treatment.

“Alam ninyo po personal na desisyon iyan ng ating mga namumuno ‘no pero kapag nangyari po iyan, babatuhin na naman ang gobyerno na inuuna ng bakuna ang mga VIPs gaya ng nangyari doon sa [polymerase chain reaction] test ‘no. So either way talagang mayroon pong mga kritiko na mambabato (You know, that’s the personal decision of our secretaries, but when it happens, they will be criticized that they are being given VIP treatment like what happened with PCR tests. So either way, there will be criticism),” he said.

He said it would be more important to regain Filipinos’ confidence about the importance of immunization.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said the government will purchase vaccines from four brands — Sinovac (China), Pfizer (US), AstraZeneca (UK), and Sputnik V (Russia).