NAGTATAKA ang mga senador kung bakit gustong ‘imonopolyo’ ng pamahalaan ang pagbili ng COVID-19 vaccine at ayaw ibigay sa local government units (LGUs) at pribadong sektor.

“Bakit ang national gov’t gusto i-monopolize ang pag-purchase? Bakit di na lang payagan ‘yung LGUs at private sector to do their own purchases? I understand that the Covax facility will be cheaper, ngunit kung whole-of-nation approach ito, payagan na rin ‘yung private sector, kung willing sila magbayad nang mas mahal, na iba ang presyo sa Covax facilty- yan ‘yung national gov’t – tapos pribado they can have their own importation, or the LGUS for that matter,” giit ni Senador Ralph Recto.

“Ba’t di na lang payagan ng Food and Drug Administration ‘yan or ng national gov’t?” sabi pa ni Recto.

Sinabi naman ni Senador Cynthia Villar, kailangang magpalabas ang FDA ng Emergency Use Authority upang makakilos ang mga LGU at ng private sector at makabili ng COVID-19 vaccines.

Inihalimbawa pa ni Villar na ang mga LGU at pribadong kumpanya ay pumipirma na ng mga kasunduan sa mga nagbibigay ng bakuna tulad ng Astra-Zeneca, Pfizer at Moderna, at hinihintay lamang nila ang pag-apruba ng FDA bago sila magsimulang makakuha ng kanilang mga bakuna.

“We should approve the use of vaccines and let LGUs and the private sector buy so that we will not be all dependent on the national government. It is really hard for government to pay for all of that. And then the economy can go on and the adverse effects on our economy and on employment will be less; because if we wait for the third quarter, we will not be able to recover for 2021,” ani Villar.

Iginiit naman ni Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri na sa ilalim ng Bayanihan Law, ang mga pribadong sektor at hindi lang ang national government ang pinapayagang bumili ng COVID-19 vaccines mula sa pharmaceutical companies.

“Nothing in this act shall prohibit private entities from conducting research, developing, manufacturing, importing, distributing or selling COVID-19 vaccines sourced from registered pharmaceutical companies, subject to the provisions of this act,” ani Zubiri. (NOEL ABUEL)