PRRD prefers gov’t-to-gov’t deal for Covid-19 vaccine purchase

(Anadolu photo)

PRRD PREFERS GOV’T-TOGOV’T DEAL FOR COVID-19

VACCINE PURCHASE By Azer Parrocha resident Rodrigo Duterte Health Secretary lahat kasi (there’s no on Tuesday said he would Francisco Duque III to corruption because prefer a government-to- ensure that the country’s it’s) government-togovernment agreement negotiating team would government. I’m offering for the purchase of ensure a government-to- it to China kasi mayroon coronavirus disease 2019 government transaction. na sila (because they (Covid-19) vaccines, “Maganda sana (It’s already have it),” he said. saying it would prevent good if it’s a) government- “To the Chinese the risk of corruption. to-government ang government and to the In a pre-recorded transaction. Walang people who are really speech, Duterte asked corruption, wala parlaying the vaccine,

we -- you need not look for partners. We can make it government-togovernment and I will pay you,” he added. He said he was against purchasing vaccines from private pharmaceutical companies. “I hate ‘yang ano -- ayaw ko ‘yung (I don’t like) private persons, magbili tayo sa (if we buy from) private Chinese businessmen,” he said. He did not specify which Chinese firm he was referring to, but Sinopharm, a Chinese state-owned company, recently canceled plans Earlier, Duterte said to hold clinical trials in the he would ask for a discount country. from China and Russia on Last week, China’s the vaccines that each Sinovac Biotech has of the two countries have submitted to the Food developed, hopeful and Drug Administration that their leaders would (FDA) Philippines its understand his plight amid application to conduct the global recession. Phase 3 of clinical trials of “I will ask the -- my its vaccine in the country. friend (Russian) President Sinovac may start late- (Vladimir) Putin and stage trials of its vaccine (Chinese) President in the country as early as Xi Jinping to give us a next month. credit, parang utang Aside from China, (like a loan), a credit the government is also line but we will pay not evaluating vaccines in one payment but by of Russia’s Gamaleya installments. Basta ang Research Institute, and sinasabi ko magbayad other pharmaceutical tayo. Hindi ito libre (I’m companies. just saying that we’ll

Contributed photo pay for it. It’s not free),” Duterte said. Malacañang earlier assured of the vaccine’s affordability. Duterte said that vaccination fees of the poor, police, military, and front-liners would be shouldered by the government. The government initially allotted PHP20 billion to buy 40 million doses for 20 million Filipinos. As of Oct. 26, there are 371,630 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country, including 7,039 deaths and 328,258 recoveries. (PNA)