The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) extends help in purchasing Covid-19 vaccines for company locators and offers tax-free importation of the doses.
Peza Director General Charito Plaza said in a news statement issued on Thursday that the regulator serves as an “enabler” in the vaccine procurement by its locators as the country continues to struggle with the impact of the pandemic.
“We can help facilitate the locators’ purchase of vaccines on a per ecozone basis for ease of administration and subject to strict compliance with Covid-19 vaccination protocols,” Plaza said.
She noted that locators may choose their own supplier and administrator of vaccines. However, Plaza said that Peza is “not in a position to subsidize the cost or advance payment of vaccines for and on behalf of the locators.”
Peza Deputy Director General for Policy and Planning Tereso Panga, meanwhile, said that the regulator of ecozones can provide “the allowance of tax and duty-free importation [for Covid-19 vaccines] subject to the lifting of the EUA [emergency use authorization].”
Panga said the same relief was offered by the Peza board last year for the importation of personal protective equipment and Covid-related equipment for locators’ direct use.
“The best Covid-19 vaccine is the one that is readily available. Either you get infected or vaccinated, the choice is yours,” Panga added.
Peza said that its ecozone vaccination program could contribute to attaining herd immunity, which can help further reopen the economy.
The regulator currently manages 410 economic zones across the Philippines with 4,643 locator companies.
This week, Peza hosted an online forum with experts from the Department of Health and potential suppliers from the private sector to inform the export-oriented registered companies about the procurement of Covid-19 doses.
“The Peza management initiated this dialogue upon the request of our ecozone locators for Peza to take the lead in getting the right resource persons to educate us about the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines and their safety,” Plaza said.