PRRD approves advance
payment for COVID-19 vaccine
By Adora R. Rodriguez
Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque announced the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte on the Philippines entering into advance market commitment together with the private vaccine developers and release of advance payment based on negotiated terms for corona virus vaccine procurement.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte approved the recommendation for the
Philippines entering into Advance Market Commitments with private
manufacturers of anti-COVID-19 vaccines Photo by Toto Lozano/Presidential
Photo
“Pumayag na po tayo na magkakaroon po tayo ng advance, kasi po pag hindi
tayo pumayag, e baka mangulelat tayo dun sa mga bansa na makakakuha ng
vaccine. So alam ko po noong una ayaw ni Presidente yan, pero nung nakita po
niya yung listahan ng mga bansang nag-aadvance payment, e hindi
naman tayo magpapahuli, basta meron naman tayong pondo,” (We have
already agreed to release an advance payment so we won’t be left behind by the
countries who will get hold of the vaccine. Before, the President doesn’t like
it but he agreed when he saw the list of the countries who have paid in
advance, for as long a as we have the funds,) Roque explained in
today’s virtual briefing.
The government has to undergo the five major steps in entering the
advance market commitments such as: signing of a confidentiality data
agreement; negotiations and signing of the advance market commitments;
registration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through the emergency
use authority (EUA); advance payment based on the negotiated terms; and
mobilization and delivery.
The China National Medical Product Administration (NMPA) has already
issued two EUA, which means they are already using the vaccine for a limited
time among high risk population while US is expected to issue the same this
December, Roque said.
For the Philippines, implementing the vaccination should require the
President’s signed Executive Order for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
to issue the EUA, which will speed up the process of applying the vaccine,
carrying the same approval authorization of the FDAs of countries that
developed the vaccine.
“Dati-rati po bago magamit ang isang bakuna rito na approved na ng US
FDA o ng Chinese FDA, kinakailangan muna ng anim na buwan na pagsusuri pero
kung mapipirmahan itong Executive Order na eto, aba’y bente uno araw
na lang po magagamit na rin natin sa Pilipinas. So, yung
dalawang bakuna po sa China, Sinopharm at saka Sinovac,
anytime pwede na pong aprobahan ng Chinese FDA. All we need [is to wait
for] 20 days pwede na tayong magbakuna sa Pilipinas. Ganundin naman po
pagdating sa Pfizer at sa Moderna na napatunayang 94% ang effectivity laban sa
Corona virus,” (Before a vaccine is administered here in the Philippines
though already approved by US FDA or Chinese FDA, it has to undergo a six-month
screening but once the Executive Order was signed, after 21
days, we can already use it here in the Philippines. So, the
two vaccines of China, Sinopharm and Sinovac, anytime, they can be signed by
Chinese FDA. All we need [is to wait for] 20 days and we can already
implement vaccination in the Philippines), Roque said.
Procuring the vaccine can be done through different legal modes such as
the following:
1. Government Procurement Reform Act
(RA9184) or the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act (RA11494) through the PSDBM
2. Multilateral Loans (ADB-WB Project Loan
for Vaccine through the DOF
3. Bilateral Loans ( UK/China)
through the DOF
4. Private Sector Financing Through a
Tripartite Agreement (national government, pharmaceutical company and the
private sector company)
“Magkakaroon po tayo ng kasunduan sa panig ng tatlong partido,
yung gobyerno natin, yung pharmaceutical company at yung private sector
company.” (We will have a Tripartite Agreement among the
government, pharmaceutical company and the private sector company), Roque
said explaining further the private sector financing.
“ Nag-commit na po ang ating mga pribadong kumpanya na sila ang bibili ng isang bilyong dosage dahil hindi naman po sila makabili diretso sa mga gobyerno na nagpo-produce ng mga bakuna. Sila po ang bibili, sila ang gagastos pero singkwenta hanggang otsenta porsyento, ibibigay nila po sa ating gobyerno para ipamigay sa mahihirap. Yung balanse gagamitin nila sa kanilang mga empleyado dahil yung mga empleyado naman nila hindi naman lahat yan ay mga mayayaman, (The private sector companies have already committed to purchase 1B amount of dosage since they are not allowed to purchase directly from governments producing the vaccine. They (private sector companies) will purchase but 50-80% will be given to the government to be distributed to the poor. What is left will be for their employees since not all of their employees are well-off,) Roque explained thanking the private sector for their bayanihan efforts. (ARR/PIA-IDPD)
