Improving the country's medical health response will bring about a better outcome than crafting a new law to compensate people for any possible adverse effect of COVID-19 vaccines, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said on Tuesday.

Recto said that while he welcomes calls for a new law on the indemnification of people who will suffer serious effects from the coronavirus vaccines, "the focus should be on strengthening emergency response to the very, very few who may suffer side effects."

"Insurance is good. But immediate medical intervention is better,” Recto said in a statement.

"If you develop an allergy, access to care is what you need more than future compensation," he added.

Recto said an assurance from the government that it will be prepared to handle adverse post-vaccination issues is also "a far better way" of boosting the public's confidence about its coronavirus inoculation program.

"Parang kotse ‘yan (It's like selling a car). The selling point is the safety features of the car and not the accident insurance policy in the glove compartment,” he said.

He appealed to officials to review their communications strategy about the upcoming vaccination program.

"Communications play a vital role in the run up to the mobilization of the 110 million Filipinos to roll up their sleeves and get shots,” he said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III last week asked senators to pass a bill that will provide for the compensation of Filipinos who will have suffer adverse effects following their vaccination.

On Monday, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said this could be included in the provisions of the proposed Bayanihan 3, along with the waiving of tariff and customs duties for the vaccine supplies.

Galvez explained that the indemnification is part of the requirements of the COVAX Facility, wherein the Philippines hopes to get 40 million doses of coronavirus vaccines

COVAX is the pooled procurement mechanism led by the World Health Organization to ensure rapid, fair and equitable access of countries to COVID-19 vaccines.

In December last year, Recto filed Senate Bill No. 1943 or the proposed "Bayanihan to Rebuild as One" Act, or Bayanihan 3, which seeks to appropriate P485 billion as "as a continuing response" to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among others, the bill proposes to allocate P55 billion for the purchase of COVID-19 medication and vaccines and related operational expenses; and another P55 billion for the storage and handling of the vaccines, hiring of contact tracers, testing and treatment under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and payment of hazard duty pay of health workers.