LGUs defer signing COVID-19 vaccine deals over delivery, process issues —LPP exec

Some  local government units have deferred, in the meantime, signing tripartite deals for COVID-19 vaccine supply over delivery issues, the League of Provinces of the Philippines  (LPP) said on Friday.

LPP president Marinduque Governor Presbitero Velasco Jr. said that some brands have yet to deliver even the initial orders of vaccine doses as there is no available supply.

“Kaya hindi pinipirmahan in the meantime…Parang useless. Kahit pirmahan, wala namang makukuha. Parang mag-a-advance payment lang sila,” he told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

(That’s the reason LGUs are not signing deals in the meantime. It seems useless. Even if they sign them, they won't receive vaccines. It seems they are just giving advance payment.)

According to Velasco, AstraZeneza and Moderna have yet to complete their deliveries of COVID-19 vaccine doses to the country.

“Defer muna yung signing ng tripartite kasi hindi naman makapag-deliver yung supplier (We deferred the signing of the tripartite because the supplier cannot deliver),” he said.

Aside from this, Velasco pointed out that some brands like Sinovac, Pfizer, Sputnik are not engaging in a deal with LGUs but only with the national government.

Also, he pointed out that some COVID-19 vaccine brands have yet to obtain emergency use authorization.

In January, President Rodrigo Duterte approved a recommendation for LGUs to enter into a tripartite agreement for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.

Several local governments already signed deals with manufacturers for their own supply of COVID-19 vaccines, separate from the supply that will be provided by the national government.—AOL, GMA News