Government not prepared for mandatory inoculation

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang admitted yesterday that government is not prepared for mandatory inoculation of all Filipinos because of a shortage in supply of vaccines against COVID-19.

“We have not reached that point because we do not have enough vaccines. Why will we even think of making it mandatory when our supply cannot cover those who want to get vaccinated,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said in Filipino.

Roque was reacting to House Bill No. 9252, filed by Cavite Fourth District Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, which aims to amend Republic Act 11525, the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021.

Section 3 of the bill states: “The COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021 shall be mandatory for persons as may be determined by the DOH (Department of Health) and shall be given for free at any government hospital or health center, and as provided in Republic Act No. 11525, PROVIDED, That inoculation must, at all times, be science and evidence based.”

With only over three million vaccines deployed since March, Roque said the government is already having difficulty fulfilling its supplies this month, owing to a shortfall in deliveries.

“We will make up for this in May,” he said as he assured the public that there will be another batch of vaccines arriving soon.

The Philippines has so far received vaccines from Sinovac of China and AstraZeneca from the World Health Organization’s COVAX Facility.

If the country can have delivery of 20 million doses a month, Roque said that is the time government can start thinking of imposing mandatory vaccination.

He identified what now prevails among the citizenry as “vaccination envy” – a situation he described as having turned apprehension against the vaccine into envy because many others have already been inoculated.

The Palace spokesman expressed belief that once the United States and countries in the European Union are able to inoculate their populations, there would be a steady supply for developing countries like the Philippines.

Citing National Task Force against COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.’s target, Roque said the government is working to get 40 million Novavax doses, apart from the ones procured by the private sector.

Herd immunity

In yesterday’s “Sulong Pilipinas” pre-SONA event, Galvez revealed that President Duterte’s desire is to have all Filipinos vaccinated for free and look forward to a better celebration of Christmas this year.

“No one is safe until everyone is safe. It is the desire of the Duterte administration to vaccinate all Filipinos for free. This is with the belief that no one is safe until everyone is safe. That’s what our beloved President said – no one will be left behind. We will leave no one,” he said.

He said the tripartite agreements between the national government, local government units (LGUs) and the private sector would enable the country to secure vaccines for all Filipinos.

“The national government works hand-in-hand with LGUs and the private sector to fast-track the vaccination and achieve herd immunity the soonest possible time to ensure a better Christmas this year,” he added.

Galvez said that as a strategy to secure vaccines amid limited global supply, the Philippines is developing a vaccine portfolio and simultaneously negotiating with several vaccine makers.

To date, supply agreements have been signed with five manufacturers: AstraZeneca, Gamaleya, Moderna, Novavax and Sinovac.

“Set to be signed within the week is the government’s supply agreement with Johnson & Johnson for six to 10 million vaccine doses,” he said.

Aborted delivery

Yesterday, Malacañang confirmed that the logistical challenge of keeping Sputnik V vaccines in ultra-cold temperature has prevented the delivery of an initial batch of 15,000 doses of a trial order from Moscow.

Amid the snag, Roque said Galvez has “taken steps to address these challenges and aims to receive the initial order of the Russian vaccine in the month of May.”

The aborted delivery, expected yesterday, was supposed to be a trial for the bigger batch of 485,000 Sputnik V vaccines ordered by the Philippines.

Roque explained it would have been a long haul since there is no direct flight between Moscow and Manila, “and that vaccine requires -20 (degrees Celsius) temperature.”

Concepcion calls for vaccinating workers

Meanwhile, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said vaccinating the employed sector is the only solution that will allow the Philippines to fully open its economy.

“Let’s not wait for legislation that will make vaccines mandatory,” he said. “But it will come to that point if the turnout is poor.”

Concepcion said the Department of Labor and Employment has to “encourage employees to take the vaccine.” He added that face masks and physical distancing only serve to buy time.

Google, SMC commitments

Technology company Google has committed support to provide COVID-19 vaccines for 250,000 people in the Philippines and nine other Asian countries.

Google.org, the company’s philanthropic arm, said it will fund the vaccines through the Gavi, the public-private partnership that leads the COVAX vaccine facility with the WHO that seeks to ensure equitable vaccine access globally.

“We hope that through Google’s efforts and partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, we can help more people from countries in need to be vaccinated,” said Google Philippines country director Bernadette Nacario.

Likewise, diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. is deploying its own doctors and nurses to LGUs to help in the implementation of the vaccination program as it waits for the arrival of the vaccines for its employees.

“This is another way we can support government’s vaccination efforts – by sharing our resources, in this case, our employee medical professionals,” SMC president Ramon Ang said in a statement yesterday.

He said the company deployed two doctors and 17 nurses to vaccination sites in Mandaluyong City last week. SMC is planning to send more to other LGUs in the coming weeks.

SMC is looking to begin its vaccination program by June, committing to cover an estimated 70,000 individuals consisting of its own employees and third-party providers for its vaccination program. – Edu Punay, Jose Rodel Clapano, Sheila Crisostomo, Janvic Mateo, Louella Desiderio