Recto urges Palace to name a 'vaccine czar' to ensure COVID-19 vaccine supply

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Saturday suggested that Malacañang name a "vaccine czar" who can ensure 110 million Filipinos would have access to the COVID-19 vaccine once available.

Recto said the vaccine czar can solve the "importation to injection" challenges since rich countries who are financing the development of COVID-19 vaccines will get the supplies first.

The vaccine czar can also start setting up a "supply-to-syringe cold chain" to store the vaccines in freezing temperatures here, the senator added.

“Like any frozen delight, the vaccine needs to be refrigerated. Filling the cold chain gap ranks high in the vaccine czar’s many duties,” Recto said in a statement.

Malacañang said Tuesday it sees a logistical challenge for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine doses to Filipinos once they become available.

According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, the government needs to establish a cold chain as vaccines should be stored at sub-zero temperatures.

Roque said only the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City has the facility for vaccine storage.

How many for Filipinos?

Recto also noted that the World Health Organization said that by the end of 2021, about two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines would be available.

“Ilan ang matitira para sa mga Pilipino? Countries who have sunk billions into their development have firm orders so they are first in line. Pang-ilan tayo sa mahabang linya?” he said.

Recto also said countries developing the vaccines may be pressured to supply their own nations first.

The senator said the country needs a Filipino with "global stature, excellent connections and diplomatic skills” to make sure the Philippines gets its orders.

“Bawal ang OJT dito," he added.

Recto also said there should be clear guidelines on who will get the vaccines first after medical personnel.

“First is the selection. Kasi ang unang wave may element talaga ng rationing. Sino pipiliin? What will be the selection guideline? It is already settled that medical personnel will be first on the line. Sino susunod?” he said.

Infrastructure, monitoring

The senator also asked if infrastructure have been set in place if COVID-19 vaccines will be allowed to be produced in the country.

“If the vaccines will be licensed to be produced here, do we have the infrastructure for that? And how fast can we scale up production?” Recto said. 

Aside from delivery, the vaccine czar should also look into post-inoculation monitoring, he added.

“Delivery is just one aspect. Hindi pa kasama ang post-inoculation monitoring kasi even experts are saying that a vaccine that is 100 percent safe and efficient will be a tough goal. Talagang malawak ang trabaho ng vaccine czar,” the senator said. 

The government has allotted P2.5 billion in the 2021 budget for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Pero yung pricing nila na P307.50 per dose, or P615 per person kasi two doses kailangan, sana magkatotoo, kasi mura na ‘yan compared to the projected price quoted in news reports,” Recto said. 

“Ang susunod na decision point ay sino ang tatanggap ng libre, sino ang subsidized at sino ang full pay?” he added.

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday said he wants to add P10 billion more to the P2.5 billion budget allocated for COVID-19 vaccines in the 2021 national budget to allow more Filipinos to have protection against the novel coronavirus. —KG, GMA News