Duterte to gov't agencies: Don't get in way of COVID-19 vaccines distribution

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night told government workers to ensure the smooth delivery of COVID-19 vaccines when they arrive in the country.

In his weekly address, Duterte said the Bureau of Customs should not open the containers with the vaccines.

He added that the PNP should provide escorts to ensure the swift delivery to the storage facilities.

"Ang trabaho ninyo Customs is magtingin. You have no business na buksan yan. I am not allowing anybody there sa airport na magbukas," Duterte said.

"Then yung loading, transport... The PNP should provide escorts to ensure the fastest way for the vaccines to arrive in their storage at saka even in the matter of transporting it form one facility to the other," he added.

Duterte said Secretaries Delfin Lorenzana, Francisco Duque III and Carlito Galvez Jr. will “call the shots” to ensure smooth transport, distribution of vaccines to the citizens.

Meanwhile, Galvez assured Duterte that there will be a police escort when COVID-19 vaccines arrive in the country and transported to other areas.

“From aircraft, dadalhin sa naghihintay na truck then from there, we already coordinated with the (Department of the Interior and Local Government) and chief (Philippine National Police) na talagang mayroon pong mobile escort,” he said.

“At gagawa po tayo ng special lane para at least pagpunta po sa (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine), very minimal po ‘yong time and then doon na po i-inspect sa storage facility so ‘yong stability po ng mga vaccine will be maintained,” Galvez added.

He added that they will conduct a dry run to see if there will be defects in the distribution of the vaccines.

Duterte also issued an appeal to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)to allow the free and safe transport of vaccines particularly in areas where they have a degree of influence.

“As I have said, the money belongs to the Filipino people. The credit goes to no one. Sa inyo ‘tong mga Pilipino. Pera ninyo ito so natural lang na kayong mga members ng CPP and the allied NPA, NDF, or whatever, kindly observe the rules of humanity,” he said.

Swift distribution

The Philippines is looking to administer COVID-19 vaccines to frontline healthcare workers next Monday, February 15, as the government aims to inoculate the sector's 1.4 million individuals in a month.

"We did our assignment and we are waiting for vaccines to arrive and to immediately implement the required mandate and that is pabakunahan lahat, we will do it as fast as the vaccines would come in," Duterte said.

"As fast as we receive them we distribute them, but you must have the facility to ensure the integrity of the vaccines," he added.

No corruption

Duterte played down apprehensions anew about possible corruption in the purchase of vaccines, stressing the money is being held by the lending institutions such as the World Bank.

"I would like to repeat, itong pambayad natin sa bakuna hiniram natin ito sa . . . World Bank wala kasi tayong pera. Ngayon pagdating sa bayaran kung tapos na lahat, ang manufacturers like Pfizer magkolekta sila hindi sa atin, dun sila magkuha ng pera sa World Bank, so walang corruption dito kasi walang hinahawakan kung sinuman dito na bilyon," he explained.

"Ganun ang sitwasyon kaya masakit sa amin na basta na lang sweeping allegations about corruption, 'yun ang pakiusap ko lang din sa members ng Congress," he added.

Initial batch

The incoming initial batch of vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech totaling 117,000 doses will cover workers included in the initial master list from hospitals across the country that will receive the first batch.

"Inaasahan nating magsisimula na tayo sa akinse... Sa katunayan, 'yung mga medical frontliner, kumpleto na po ang mga pangalan nila," presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a report on "24 Oras Weekend".

Among the first hospitals that will receive the vaccines are the Philippine General Hospital with 5,000 workers listed, along with the Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, and the East Avenue Medical Center.

The World Health Organization said that 117,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will arrive in the country in the second or third week of February, under the COVAX Facility. 

Earlier, Malacañang said the three priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination are frontline workers in health facilities, senior citizens and persons with comorbidities.

The country aims to vaccinate some 50 to 70 million Filipinos from COVID-19 this year, with the country allocating some P73.2 billion for the procurement. The amount includes P40 billion coming from multilateral agencies, P20 billion from domestic sources, and P13.2 billion from bilateral agreements.-NB/LDF, GMA News