COVID-19 vaccines ordered by gov't yet to be delivered, Duterte laments

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday lamented that the  COVID-19 vaccines ordered by the government have yet to arrive amid questions on the use of the loans availed for the purpose of procurement.

In a recorded public address aired Wednesday night, Duterte explained that the vaccines used for the early phase of the government’s vaccine rollout are donations from China and the COVAX facility, a global procurement mechanism for COVID-19 vaccines that ensures fair and equitable access to the vaccines.

“I've stressed the point that ang dumadating puro donated by the [World Health Organization] and China. Wala pa tayong bakuna,” Duterte said in his address.

(I've stressed the point that so far the vaccines that we have are donations by the World Health Organization and China. We still don't have vaccines.)

“Sabi niyo, 'Saan ang bakuna?' Bakunang nabili? Wala. Wala tayong bakunang nabili. Wala pa. Kung magdating man, mga next week siguro then that would be the time that they would notify… kayo,” he added.

(You ask, 'Where are the vaccines?' Procured vaccines? None yet We don't have procured vaccines yet. If they arrive, hopefully next week, then that would be the time that we would notify the public.)

Duterte reiterated that the approved loans for the procurement of the vaccines are still in the banks.

“I have a list coming from a senator. Approved lang ito, list. Approved list lang ito, hindi ito pera na binigay kasi pambayad nga doon eh. It's the World Bank who will pay. Papel lang 'yan eh, all paper,” he said.

(I have a list coming from a senator. These are all just approved loans. We haven't touched the money yet.)

Last week, Senator Panfilo Lacson questioned why the country has yet to procure vaccines despite the loans it got from several international banks and multilateral sectors for the purpose.

As of Wednesday, the Philippines has received at least 1 million doses of Sinovac donated by China and 525,000 AstraZeneca vaccines donated by the COVAX facility.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III admitted in the same briefing that the donated 1,525,000 COVID-19 vaccines cannot cover the inoculation of 1.7 million health workers that should be prioritized based on the government vaccination plan.

Earlier, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the country has allocated a total of P82.5 billion for vaccine, logistics and other supplies, including waste disposal, as part of the government's COVID-19 vaccination program.

Of the P82.5 billion, P2.5 billion will come from the budget of the Department of Health; P10 billion from the funds set aside for Bayanihan 2 Act; and P70 billion from various loans and financing.

The loans will come from the World Bank (P24.3 billion); Asian Development Bank (P19.5 billion); and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (P14.6 billion).  The remaining P11.6 billion will come from Official Development Assistance funds. —KBK, GMA News