The House of Representatives supports the local government units’ COVID-19 vaccine procurement plan, Minority Floor Leader Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod) said today, February 12.
“We heard the clamor and we support them,” the Negrense congressman said in response to the request of LGUs for authority to directly buy vaccines without public bidding.
That is the rationale behind House Bill 8648, which has already been approved by the House Committee on Appropriations, he said.
The fact that the three leaders of the House are the principal authors of the bill signifies that this is a priority measure, Paduano said.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco filed House Bill 8648, or the proposed Emergency Vaccine Procurement Act of 2021, that seeks to expedite the purchase and administration of COVID-19 vaccines by giving LGUs the authority to directly purchase from manufacturers without having to go through the long process of a public bidding.
Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Paduano signed as co-authors of the measure.
The bill provides exemptions to compliance by LGUs with the procurement requirements under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act in the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines and other much-needed supplies during the pandemic, Velasco said.
“The proposed measure will authorize LGUs to procure vaccines that have FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval only. That is enough guarantee that the vaccines to be procured by LGUs are safe and effective,” Paduano said.
“This way, we will be able to achieve herd immunity in the soonest time possible. LCEs of LGUs are in a better position to convince their constituents when the vaccines they procure are of their own choosing. Logistics issues will be handled by suppliers and no longer the burden of the government bureaucracy,” he added.
A deeper analysis of this proposed measure would reveal that this will augment the centralized vaccine program to ensure that private enterprises will mobilize resources in the delivery and storage of vaccines. This will put the LGUs’ funds to good use, he said.
The bill will help ensure that red tape will no longer be a hindrance to what every Filipino is wishing for, “a faster way for vaccines to arrive in our country”, Paduano said
“This will augment scarce resources of the national government and this will show a whole nation approach in addressing this pandemic,” Paduano added.
Under HB 8648, the requirement of Phase IV trials for COVID-19 medication and vaccine stipulated in the Universal Health Care Law is waived to expedite the procurement, provided that these are recommended and approved by the World Health Organization and other internationally recognized health agencies, Velasco said
As an additional exemption to the guidelines of RA 9184, concerned LGUs are authorized to engage in an advance payment mechanism for purposes of procuring COVID19 vaccines from foreign manufacturers, he added.
The bill allows provinces, cities and municipalities to make advance payment not exceeding 50 percent of the contract amount for the procurement of COVID-19 drugs and vaccines, unless otherwise directed by the President, Velasco said.
Following the advance payment of the supply of vaccines, the foreign manufacturer, in consideration of its agreement with the concerned LGU, shall undertake to deliver the supply of vaccines within six months from the perfection of the contract, he also said.
However, the availment of the advance payment mechanism is not an exemption to the post-transaction audit that the Commission on Audit (COA) must conduct on the LGUs, Velasco said.*