The government allows private companies to seek "cost reimbursement" or "cost sharing" for the coronavirus vaccines allocated to the dependents of its employees, Malacañang clarified Tuesday.

Presidential spokesman Harry spokesman Harry Roque however made clear that such reimbursement must not exceed the cost of the coronavirus vaccine.

"Iyong empleyado ay libre pero iyong bakuna para sa kaniyang mga pamilya ay ina-allow po natin iyong cost sharing (The employee is given vaccine for free but the vaccines for his or her family, we allow cost-sharing)," he said during a televised press briefing Tuesday, July 6.

"Ang importante diyan, iyong beneficiaries po ay iyong mga indibidwal na nag-request, hindi po ibibigay sa ibang tao at wala pong tubo (The important thing is the beneficiaries should be the individuals who requested them. The vaccines must not be given to other people and there should be no profit)," he added.

Roque said private companies could only secure vaccines for their workforce under a tripartite deal with the government and the supplier. He maintained that the government allows "cost reimbursement" without any profit when it comes to the dependents of the employees in the private sector.

Back in March, President Duterte allowed private companies to import coronavirus vaccines "at will" to accelerate the country's vaccination program.

The private firms, however, must still course the vaccine purchase through the government since it would shoulder the indemnity in case of adverse sides effects from vaccination.

At present, coronavirus vaccines have only been given emergency use authorization by local drug regulators, which meant these products are not yet for commercial use. A law, recently signed by the President, established a P500-million indemnity fund for vaccine recipients that experience adverse side effects.

The government has so far administered 12 million doses of coronavirus vaccines since the free inoculation campaign started last March. Around 2.8 million people have been fully vaccinated.

The country's vaccination drive is expected to accelerate as the initial batch of coronavirus vaccines secured by the private sector has started to arrive.