Duterte orders DILG to supervise Covid-19 vax rollout

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to supervise the transport and distribution of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines in the country.

In his pre-recorded public address delivered on Monday night but televised on Tuesday morning, Duterte instructed National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. to designate DILG to be part of the supervisory team that will check the handling of Covid-19 vaccines.

Duterte gave his new directive as he expressed misgivings about the supposed failure of some local government units (LGUs) to ensure the proper administration of Covid-19 vaccines.

“Ang problema ko (My problem) is ‘yung handling, sir,” he told Galvez. “There’s always the time of the essence so there has to be a time frame for that for everything from handling to the transfer. I would insist that the DILG would be part of the supervisory team.”

The DILG’s participation in the implementation of the government’s Covid-19 inoculation drive is vital to ensure that no vaccine would go to waste, Duterte said.

Duterte said DILG Secretary Eduardo Año may tap the police force to ensure the proper handling of Covid-19 vaccines.

“Gusto kong malaman rin ni (I want) Secretary Año if everything is done according to what has been planned,” he said. “So pag-aralan anong plano dito (So let’s study the plan) and they can point out if there is a lack of whatever in the handling and the observance of all rules that would ensure the integrity of the vaccines.”

Duterte also expressed confidence that with DILG’s new designation, it would be easier to “know what is wrong and what is maybe inadequate.”

“I would like to impose this duty also to the DILG. Secretary Año can use the police or whatever as long as there’s always a third person or a second guy to see to it that itong (the) chain of events must be followed and there must be no – there has to be no faltering because I said it will affect the integrity of the [vaccines],” he said.

Galvez said he would heed Duterte’s directive.

“We will obey your instruction that DILG, together with DOH (Department of Health), will really supervise,” he said.

The Philippines has so far administered over 3 million Covid-19 vaccines nationwide, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who was also present during the meeting with Duterte, reported.

Duterte earlier told the LGUs to ensure the immediate delivery and rollout of Covid-19 vaccines to avoid wastage due to expiration or spoilage.

The Duterte government aims to inoculate up to 70 million Filipinos this year to achieve herd immunity.