Press Release
July 24, 2018

CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
House Bill No. 7449 under Committee Report No. 395
Supplemental Appropriations for Dengvaxia Vaccinees Assistance

Mr. President and distinguished colleagues,

I rise today to co-sponsor a very important appropriations measure under Committee Report No. 395 which appropriates the sum of One Billion One Hundred Sixty-one Million Seven Hundred Ten Thousand Pesos (P1,161,710,000) as supplemental appropriations for FY 2018 and for other purposes.

Said measure, considered under the Senate Committee on Finance chaired by its hardworking Chair, Senator Loren Legarda, will ensure the protection and welfare of the Dengvaxia recipients. This supplemental appropriation will be used as support fund to cover the medical needs of the children who received the vaccination.

This representation filed a similar measure - Senate Bill No. 1769, which aims to establish a Medical Assistance Program for the Dengvaxia Vaccinees. Said bill was initially referred to the Committee on Health and Demography but was later on transferred to and considered by the Finance Committee.

Mr. President,

According to the Department of Health there are more than 830,000 children inoculated of the Dengvaxia vaccine which is supposed to prevent the occurrence of severe dengue among the population. However, instead of attaining this objective, the children have been reported to have allegedly developed different adverse effects, from headache to death.

These alarming incidents among the vaccinees are attributed to the earlier announcement of Sanofi Pasteur, the manufacturer of Dengvaxia, regarding a new clinical finding on the vaccine's adverse effect to its recipients.

Nagkaroon nga po ng imbestigasyon ang Blue Ribbon Committee joint with the Committee on Health and Demography upang malaman ang panangutan ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno sa pagpapatupad ng programa. Nagkaroon din po tayo ng pagkakataon upang mapakinggan ang mga magulang ng mga batang nabakunahan.

Nakakalungkot po na marinig ang pangungulila ng mga magulang na namatayan ng mga anak at ang pangamba ng mga magulang na baka isang araw anak naman nila ang magkaroon ng malubhang karamdaman dulot ng natanggap na vaccine.

In view of this and the public interest involved, immediate action should be taken to guarantee the welfare of the children. The fund that will be allocated shall finance the assistance to the Dengvaxia vaccinees which shall include but not limited to their hospitalization, outpatient health care services, and deployment of health personnel, among others.

Mr. President,

Malaking tulong po ang alokasyon na ito upang masigurado natin na mabibigyan ng karampatang lunas at medical attention ang mga bata. Dahil po sa takot na dulot ng Dengvaxia vaccination, pati po ang ibang vaccination programs ng gobyerno ay naapektuhan na. Malaking tulong po ito upang maalis ang pangamba ng mga magulang at maibalik ang tiwala nila sa mga programang pangkalusugan ng gobyerno.

In view of the foregoing premise, this representation urge this august body to support the immediate approval of this measure.

Maraming salamat po!

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