National Task Force against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. assured senators that there will be "no room for overpricing" of the coronavirus vaccines that the government will purchase.
This was according to Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who personally met with Galvez on Wednesday night about the latter’s negotiations with pharmaceutical companies for the Philippines' vaccine supply.
"General/Secretary Galvez assures us through the agreements that there will be no room for overpricing by any person, entity or group as all payments will go directly to the pharma companies from the lending institution who will also set in place proper safeguards," Sotto told Senate reporters on Viber following their meeting.
The Senate chief was apparently convinced with Galvez' reluctance to publicly disclose the details of the negotiations with the vaccine makers.
"We were able to see all the necessary documents and proposed agreements, Indeed, there are non-disclosure agreements mandated by the pharma companies internationally," he said.
Sotto said Senators Panfilo Lacson and Ronald dela Rosa, as well as Baguio City Mayor and contact tracing czar Benjamin Magalong, were also in the private meeting with Galvez.
He said he will relay to his colleagues the "important facts" provided them by Galvez.
President Duterte had instructed his peace process adviser to brief Sotto about the vaccine deals. Senators have pressed for transparency in the government's vaccine deals, particularly on the price of the coronavirus vaccines that his administration will buy from Chinese drugmaker Sinovac Biotech.
The Senate Committee of the Whole is scheduled to conduct another hearing about the government's vaccination plans on Friday, January 22.
"The hearing will push through and hopefully we will be able to elicit enough information to be able to convince our countrymen that the vaccines no matter what brand will be necessary, for us to defeat the virus," Sotto said.