Pangilinan says bureaucracy to slow down COVID-19 vaccine rollout

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in the Philippines will most likely be hindered not by budgetary concerns but by bureaucracy, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said Friday.

While acknowledging that the P72.5 billion earmarked for vaccines under the 2021 budget is wanting, the opposition senator pointed out the underspending of the executive branch amid the pandemic.

"Hindi pera ang problema. Burukrasya ang problema," Pangilinan said in an interview on ANC, stressing that the government currently has around P800 to P900 billion in cash.

"In fact, just the other day [we extended the] validity ng paggamit ng pondo ng 2020 budget pati na ang sa Bayanihan 2 na-extend ang paggamit ng pondo dahil bilyon-bilyong halaga ng pera ay hindi nagagamit. Mabagal, may burukrasya sa executive department," he added.

The validity of P110 billion appropriations under the 2020 General Appropriations Act and the P38 billion under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act was extended until December 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021, respectively.

"Tayo sa Senado, inaprubahan natin ang pera, nandyan 'yung pondo. Itinutulak natin ngayon ang executive. 'Yan ang kainaman ng three branches of government meron kang executive, judiciary, legislative. Minsan mabagal ang executive kailangan pabilisin," Pangilinan said.

Underscoring that the country is facing the worst economic crisis since World War II, the senator said it is unacceptable that the services for Filipinos are not being delivered because of slow-paced actions.

Pangilinan lamented that if only the executive heeded the advice of the legislative branch in previous months, the COVID-19 situation might not have worsened as it is now.

"We also asked for the resignation of Duque as early as April but it was left unheeded. Kung inaksyunan sana ang ilang rekomendasyon ng Senate noon pa man – itinaas ang economic stimulus package at tinugunan ang mga problema ng leadership sa IATF – baka hindi naging ganoon katindi ang contraction ng ating ekonomiya," he said.

Prudence not an excuse

When it comes to securing COVID-19 vaccines, Pangilinan said "prudence" cannot be used as an excuse.

"Buhay talaga ang napakahalaga rito. If prudence is one rationale, do you mean to say therefore na 'yung US, UK, Israel, Canada, pati Singapore na naunang kumuha ng mga vaccine, sila ba ay naging imprudent? I don't think so," Pangilinan said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. recently said 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccines could have been shipped to the country by January but "somebody dropped the ball."

Senator Panfilo Lacson, citing information from Philippine Ambassador to the US Babe Romualdez, said it was Health Secretary Francisco Duque III who made a mistake by sitting on the required Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement.

Duque said there is no such thing as dropping the ball and that the negotiation with Pfizer is still ongoing.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire also clarified that the said document did not specifically include vaccine supply.

“Iyong pag-uusap sa CDA, initial negotiation iyon between the government and Pfizer para makita natin ang mga dokumento at mapag-aralan natin ang profile nila. Wala pa sa stage na  magkakaroon tayo ng ganitong doses by this time,” Vergeire said. —LBG, GMA News