MANILA – Philippine coronavirus vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. has written off the possibility of kickbacks in the country’s efforts to procure vaccines for the deadly virus.
In a virtual presser over the weekend, Galvez stressed that it is impossible for a government official to have kickbacks since only the Finance secretary has the access to the funds.
“Hindi pupwedeng magkaroon ng kickback, dahil ang pondo pong gagamitin natin ay (galing sa) Asian Development Bank at tsaka ‘yung World Bank,” Galvez said. “Wala po sa Cabinet members, wala pong government officials na may access nito except (the) Secretary of Finance.”
Sen. Francis Pangilinan floated the idea that there may be an issue of “kickvacc” that is why the country missed an opportunity to get a hand on Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine early.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque, however, has denied the accusation, citing President Rodrigo Duterte’s abhorrence of corruption.
“To give you a clear picture of the process of vaccine procurement and allay the fears of some quarters, the Department of Health leads the government’s preparation for the Agency Procurement Request (APR),” Galvez said.
“Meanwhile, as vaccine czar, my role is primarily focused on negotiating directly with the vaccine companies to make sure we get the best deal possible in terms of cost, volume, time of delivery, and supply agreement,” he added.
Galvez also noted that after the draft contract is agreed upon by parties, it will be submitted to the DOF, who will ensure the provisions are in accordance with the Food and Drug Administration and multilateral regulatory requirements.
“Once cleared, the contract will be forwarded to our multilateral partners or fund managers for further review and validation to ensure the integrity of the contract,” Galvez said.
The Philippine government intends to vaccinate Filipinos against the highly contagious coronavirus beginning the first quarter of 2021./PN
