Dispatch from Crame No: 1,090:
Sen. Leila M. de Lima on the IATF Practice of Reappropriating Private Sector Vaccine Purchase

It has been reported that the IATF has been preventing the delivery of vaccines to private sectors who purchased them and then redistributes them to the LGUs.

During the Senate hearings on the vaccination program, the IATF said private sectors were allowed to purchase through the tripartite system on a one plus one basis. This means that for every vaccine purchased by private companies, they will buy another to be donated to the government's vaccination program. The IATF is also charging the private companies additional fees for the administration of the vaccines to their employees by government vaccinators.

In the first place, this arrangement has all the appearance of a government shakedown of the private sector, entered into by the latter because they had no choice. It was the only way they were going to get vaccines for their employees.

However, when the vaccines arrived during the expected delivery dates, some companies were frustrated because their allocations were not released to them. Instead of the expected thousands of vaccines for their employees, they received only a few dozen as token releases.

Because of the economy opening up, more and more people are being required to report for office. These companies expected their employees to be vaccinated as soon as their orders arrived. Now, because the vaccines they purchased are being withheld by the IATF, their employees had to resort to the LGUs for their much-needed vaccination. Moreover, these companies were deprived of the vaccine brand of their choice, which they purchased with their own money.

Hindi ba pumirma ang mga kompanyang ito ng kontrata kasama ng IATF? Ano na ang nangyari sa sanctity of contracts? Bakit basta-basta na lang hindi sinusunod ng IATF ang kasunduan nila with the private sector?

We understand that the IATF committed vaccines to the LGUs, but they likewise committed to these private companies. Why is one prioritized over the other? Hindi ba pareho lang sila naglaan ng budget para bumili ng bakuna? At yung private sector, doble pa yung binayad nila.

Parang na-scam lang sila na pinagbayad ng doble sa bakuna pero mapipilitan lang din yung mga empleyado nila na pumila sa LGU kahit meron na dapat nakalaan para sa kanila. Pangangampanya ba sa eleksyon ang dahilan kaya kinukuha ang mga biniling bakuna ng mga pribadong kompanya para ibigay sa ilang LGU?

The private sector should be allowed to take part in our inoculation program by allowing them to vaccinate their employees alongside the government efforts. The sooner they do this, the sooner they can operate at pre-pandemic efficiency. This way they can immediately contribute to our economic recovery.

The national vaccination program requires both government and private sector participation. If we keep on asking for more money and contributions from the private sector while asking them to sacrifice more, nasisira ang equilibrium ng bansa natin.

It does not appear that equilibrium is the objective of this administration. What it is doing is making private companies pay for the government-administered public inoculation program, while the whereabouts of Bayanihan 2 funds is still unknown.

Binigyan na nga ng emergency powers at limpak limpak na pondong galing sa utang, gusto pa nilang isahan ang mga pribadong kumpanya sa mga bakunang dapat ay para sa mga empleyado nila.

(Access the handwritten version, here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatchno1090)