Iloilo 1st  District Representative Janette Garin on Monday, March 22 warned the Department of Health (DOH) against pushing through with its plan to block select private companies from purchasing their own
COVID-19 vaccines, saying it is a “mortal sin” to add injury to a
nation already struggling to contain the spread of the virus.

Garin, a former health secretary, made the statement as she scored
whoever is behind the draft administrative order of the DOH that plans
to prohibit businesses engaged in “unhealthy” products from procuring
their own vaccines for their employees.

Several members of the Senate and House of Representatives have earlier called on the government to unmask the  identity of those behind the draft order that seeks to prohibit manufacturers of tobacco, sugar, breast milk substitute and other “unhealthy” products from importing COVID-19 vaccines.

"Who is behind this? Who is manipulating the department? Who is
controlling (DOH Secretary Francisco) Duque?” Garin asked in a
statement.

"Now more than ever, the virus is teaching us to unite as a people.
Wala na ngang bakuna, ipagkakait pa sa ibang Pilipino? (We’re sorely
lacking in vaccines, and yet they have the gall to deprive
Filipinos?)” she added.

Because of this, Garin raised the possibility of the existence of
“anti-vaxxers”, or persons opposed to vaccination, in the government’s
own vaccination campaign and whose intention is to ruin and demonize
vaccines in the guise of being anti-tobacco and anti-liquor.

“I pose a challenge to those behind this. Ngayong pandemya, kaya niyo
bang buhayin mga pamilya nila? Kaya nyo ba silang pagkagastusan sa
gitna ng hirap ng buhay? (Now that there is a pandemic, can you
provide for the families of their employees? Can you manage to spend
for their needs in the middle of the pandemic?),” she pointed out.

“Are you willing to give your whole salary to them so they may subsist everyday?” Garin further asked.

Instead of judging these companies and the nature of their work, Garin said the government ought to focus on the problem at hand, which is to curb the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

The Duterte government, she also said, should not even dare to put a cap on the price of COVID-19 tests since it cannot even provide
testing for free.

“Government and private hospitals are scrambling to survive because Philhealth owes them millions, if not billions. And here we are,
judging our people by their nature of work,” she stressed.

“What is our priority? Discriminate or health? Sa public health,
kasama dapat lahat (When it comes to public health, it should be
inclusive),” she stressed.