"TAXPAYERS DIN ANG MGA PROBINSYANO"
Hontiveros questions announcement that Pfizer will only be for NCR, mega cities

"Ngayon pa lang, nakikita na natin na yung mga big cities ay may kakayahan makipag-unahan at may mga kontrata na ang iilan para sa mga bakuna. Paano ang mga probinsya na nahihirapan? Tax-payers din ang mga taga-probinsya. Dapat all-in tayo sa pagsusuporta sa kanila."

This according to Senator Risa Hontiveros who questioned the announcement of Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque that the Pfizer vaccine, which has a 90% efficacy rate, is not an option for inoculation programs in the province.

Roque said that because provinces lack ultracold storage facilities, a special requirement for Pfizer vaccines, the brand could only be reserved for mega cities such as Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao.

"Yang ganyang rason ay kung hindi trabahong tamad ay gross incompetence," the senator remarked. "Bakit ipapasa sa publiko ang burden ng kawalan ng pasilidad para sa bakuna? Bakit hindi naisama sa pagpaplano lalo't alam naman ng gobyerno na kailangan nitong mag-diversify ng vaccines dahil sa limited global supply?"

Hontiveros said she will bring up the issue during Round 2 of the Senate Committee of the Whole hearing on the vaccination plan on Friday. The senator also earlier brought up concerns about delivery of the COVID-19 vaccines to geographically-isolated areas (GIDAS), which she says the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Taskforce on COVID-19 (NTF) have yet to respond to.

"Give up na ba agad? It is worrisome that we are not even trying to consider or find solutions. I am especially worried because of the bad track record of the DOH in delivering vaccines to regions and areas far-flung from the NCR. This really brings into question just how committed we are to delivering the different options to all Filipinos. At dahil pinupush pa ng Palasyo ang "forfeit on first refusal", parang ginigipit ang pagpipilian ng mga indigent sa probinsya," she said.

While most COVID-19 cases are in 'mega cities' like Metro Manila and Davao, Hontiveros highlighted that provinces are also experiencing a surge in cases and are struggling from the pandemic as well. The senator cited Bacolod City as an example, which she says became a COVID-19 hotspot after the 'Balik Probinsya' program of the government.

"Pinabalik ng gobyerno ang karamihan sa mga probinsya nila noong simula ng pandemya. Wag naman natin sila iwanan sa laylayan ng vaccination plan. Let's make sure they don't get the short end of the stick," she concluded.