THE Senate Committee of the Whole on Friday reached a consensus with Executive branch officials to respect the confidentiality—for now—of exact pricing details of Covid vaccines being considered in order not to jeopardize existing negotiations or abort deliveries, given the tightness of supply around the world.
After nearly seven hours of hearing, Senate President Vicente Sotto III thanked both his peers and the Executive officials who patiently answered their questions, and concluded that, “your vaccine plan is good…We hope the implementation will also be good.”
At the start of the hearing, the Senate leadership made it clear that for now, they will not press for the exact price of Sinovac, the vaccine by a private Chinese firm that officials had denied favoring, and other vaccine brands, or other details covered by confidentiality agreements.
In reply to Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Finance Undersecretary Mark Joven said the policy to comply with confidentiality agreements with pharmaceutical firms was based on jurisprudence, specifically the Chavez vs. PEA-Amari case.
While the Constitution provides transparency in transactions impacting public interest, that ruling listed certain exceptions from disclosure, including privileged information, among them “trade secrets which cannot be disclosed,” Joven said. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. had been pressed by senators to reveal the vaccine prices in order to squelch fears certain manufacturers were being favored, or there was overpricing.
Sotto had reported that in their private meeting Wednesday night in Malacañang, Galvez made a presentation showing the Sinovac deal’s beneficial effects for the country, but insisted that the terms remain confidential.
Also at that meeting were Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Panfilo Lacson and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
Sotto added they also conveyed to President Duterte that senators are not pushing for government to get a certain brand of vaccine, contrary to reports that some senators criticized Sinovac because they favored buying the supply from Pfizer.
The Senate hearings, Sotto said, are meant to have officials lay down a clear road map on the acquisition of vaccines and how they will be rolled out, in a bid to shore up public confidence in vaccines in general, now hovering at just 50 percent from a high 90-plus several years ago.
At the same time, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon clarified they never doubted Galvez, given the respect accorded to him by his fellow health workers.
Drilon said he accepted Sotto’s assurance that Galvez’s explanation would suffice on the need to keep the Sinovac price confidential at this time as negotiations are still ongoing, but added this will be disclosed once the supply agreement is signed.
By then, he added, the final price will be in a public document that will be released.
Coordination with LGUs
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III confirmed the DOH’s readiness for the rollout of the massive inoculation project, looking to reach 40 million, even as the syringes procurement is now “ongoing.”
Several senators also asked the national government how it was coordinating the efforts of local government units, partly to ensure equitable access for the poorer local government units (LGUs); partly to avoid lopsided distribution of vaccines, with some LGUs having an oversupply and others woefully lacking; and partly to ensure that LGUs which on their own bought cold-storage equipment can handle the vaccines well to avoid wastage.
Later in the hearing, Sen. Nancy Binay asked Galvez whether the LGUs reported as having set up or bought cold-chain facilities are being supervised to ensure that what they have is suitable to host the vaccines, so as to avoid wastage arising from errors in storage.
Senator Imee Marcos reported that she also talked to governors and mayors, “but most of them are not aware, [they’re really confused].”
Marcos said, “simple folks are also asking for details; some were not listed [on the LGU registry for potential vaccinees]. Where do they go?” saying she was told that “the list will come from municipalities and barangays.”
Epimaco Densing, interior undersecretary, said in response that the DILG has issued a memorandum circular directing all LGUs to generate their master list, including names of priority beneficiaries, essential workers and frontliners—so their listing can be reconciled with those of DOH, and to avoid duplication and waste.
In response to a concern raised by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian about uneven financial capacity of LGUs, Densing said the DILG is moving to ensure that richer LGUs don’t monopolize supplies, so that smaller LGUs not capable of procuring the vaccine can still get supplies.
Meanwhile, Galvez indicated he is lining up for the Congress consideration remedial legislation needed for speedy and orderly distribution of Covid vaccines.
He added this is likely to include a provision declaring Covid vaccines as State asset to be “covered by strict government control.” In addition, he is looking to have Covid vaccines declared tax-free to facilitate passage through Customs in order to preserve the vaccine’s efficacy.
Who pays for allergies cost?
Sen. Joel Villanueva pressed, meanwhile, for full PhilHealth coverage for vaccinees hit by adverse side effects from vaccines.
Villanueva, chairman of the Senate labor committee, insisted on the PhilHealth coverage for those who would experience adverse side effects from the vaccine, saying that preparing such a safety net would definitely “boost vaccination acceptance.”
“If the vaccine is free, the cost of treatment for possible side effects should also be shouldered by the state insurer,” Villanueva said in Filipino, adding, “that way, people will no longer have a reason to shun vaccination.”
Villanueva cited reports showing some people who became allergic to a vaccine manifested “respiratory distress,” and he wondered aloud if treatment of such would be “charged to the existing case rates that have a ceiling, and patients will end up with out-of-pocket expense.”