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De Lima hits IATF for diverting private sectors' vaccine purchase
De Lima hits IATF for diverting private sectors' vaccine purchase
Opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Monday criticized the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for reappropriating the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines purchased by the private sectors intended for their workers and distributing these to local government units (LGUs).
De Lima said this is contrary to the IATF’s earlier assurance that private sectors are allowed to purchase through the tripartite system on a one plus one basis, ensuring that for every vaccine purchased by private companies, they will buy another to be donated to the government’s vaccination program.
But when the vaccines arrived during the expected delivery dates, some companies have aired frustration that their allocations were not released to them, and instead received only a few dozen as token releases.
De Lima pointed out that because the vaccines they purchased are withheld by the IATF, their employees had to resort to the LGUs for their much-needed vaccination. Moreover, these companies were deprived of the vaccine brand of their choice, which they purchased with their own money.
“Didn't these companies sign a contract together with the IATF? What happened to the sanctity of contracts? Why is the IATF reneging on their deal with the private sector whimsically?” the senator asked.
“It seems as if these companies were scammed since they were made to pay double the price for the vaccines but are now forced to tell their employees to go to the LGUs though they already have vaccines alloted for them,” she pointed out.
“Is the upcoming elections the reason why they are preventing private companies from acquiring the vaccines they purchased and give these to the LGUs?” she queried.
De Lima reiterated the private sector should be allowed to take part in the government’s inoculation program.
“The sooner they do this, the sooner they can operate at pre-pandemic efficiency. This way, they can immediately contribute to our economic recovery. The national vaccination program requires both government and private sector participation,” she stressed.
“What it is doing is making private companies pay for the government-administered public inoculation program, while the whereabouts of Bayanihan 2 funds is still unknown,” the senator lamented.