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BRC wraps up probe on vaccine procurement contract: Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino, chairperson of the Blue Ribbon Committee, says societal acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines is one of the factors that led to the wastage of 44 million doses of expired vaccines, as he enjoins the Department of Health (DOH) to be present in the daily discussion on how to make the people realize that vaccines are still needed. Terminating the investigation on the non-disclosure by and/or refusal of the DOH to release the details of the vaccine procurement contracts on the pretext of a supposedly existing Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) on Thursday, March 9, 2023, Tolentino said the committee would come out with policies that would benefit the people. He urged the Commission on Audit to have a reference to environmental harm that can be caused by a product purchased, and the Solicitor General to come out with a provision concerning possible environmental degradation as to the products purchased and disposed of by the government. “I think we have explored the nitty-gritty and the continuing nuances concerning the wastage, the 44 million (doses of expired vaccines) that would probably balloon into a bigger amount... I hope that the lessons learned here will be implemented. We will be coming up with the committee report after receiving the Office of the Solicitor General's position paper,” Tolentino said. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)