Sotto, Imee slam 'draft order' barring private firms from buying own COVID-19 vaccines

At least two senators on Saturday slammed a supposed draft administrative order prohibiting private companies, especially those selling "sin products," to import COVID-19 vaccines for their employees.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Imee Marcos in separate radio interviews said they received information about the supposed draft policy targeting manufacturers of  tobacco, milk, sugar, soft drinks, and liquor, as well as multinational companies.

In a radio interview, Marcos said the supposed draft policy was "shocking," adding that employees' health will be put at risk because of the draft order. "Para sa akin talagang that's downright evil [For me it's truly downright evil]," she said.

In a separate statement, Marcos said Section 5 of the draft order, a copy of which she said she was able to get hold of,  states that the Department of Health and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) shall review all requests of private entities to procure vaccines “to ensure that private entities who will be part of the agreement are not in any way related to the tobacco industry, products covered under EO 51 series of 1986 or the 'National Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, Breastmilk Supplement and Other Related Products' or other products in conflict with public health.”

“These companies are the biggest contributors to the government coffers through excise taxes. How ironic that this administrative order was conceived amid a shocking spike in COVID-19 cases and just weeks away from the tax payment deadline in April,” she said.

The senator expressed fear that the prohibition would result in a "total wipeout "of the 50-percent donation of vaccines by these large companies that are stipulated in each tripartite agreement among private entities, vaccine manufacturers, and the government.

Marcos also said she received information that vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. had allegedly prohibited vaccine donations meant for the Filipino-Chinese community from being imported into the country.

"Pati LGU hirap na hirap sa kanilang papeles. Masamang biro pagbabawalan daw pero 'di forever pagdating daw sa eleksyon dadagsa na raw," Marcos said.

(Even LGUs struggle in their papers [for vaccine procurement]. It's a bad joke that they are prohibited, but it won't be forever because they will be allowed come election time.)

GMA News Online has already reached out to Galvez and DOH spokesperson Rosario Vergeire for their comment.

Sotto

Sotto III, meanwhile, warned the DOH that it will have a hard time having its next budget approved by Congress.

"Kung panahon ng budget ngayon, lagot ang DOH na yan sa amin. Marami kami puwedeng gawin. Power of the purse namin. Doon lang ang kaya namin. Nasa executive department 'yan sana maisip ng pangulo na palpak itong mga bata niya, pigilan niya," Sotto said.

(If this took place during budget deliberation, the DOH would be having a rough time of it with us. We can do a lot of things. We have the 'power of the purse.' Now, it's up to the executive department. The President should realize that his subordinates are failing miserably. He should stop them.)

"Sobrang wala sa lugar masyadong self-righteous. Ayaw humingi ng tulong sa manufacturer ng sin products, sobra," Sotto added.

(They are out of place and too self-righteous. They refuse to seek help from manufacturers of sin products.)

Filipino-Chinese

On Friday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce were also “trying to procure vaccines but are being blocked.”

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the country’s largest business organization, has called on the government to allow the private sector to import and buy COVID-19 vaccines directly from accredited sources without restrictions or conditions. -with Joahna Lei Casilao/MDM, GMA News