President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his address from the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang complex on March 30, 2020. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte has certified as urgent bills for the establishment of an indemnification law, which would provide compensation for individuals who suffer serious side effects after receiving anti-Covid-19 shots, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Thursday.
“Unang-una po, iyong magandang balita po ay pinirmahan na po ng ating mahal na pangulo ang pagsertipika ng panukalang batas as urgent,” Galvez said in a Palace briefing.
“Nakapaloob din sa panukalang batas ang probisyon tungkol sa indemnity fund na mananagot kung sakaling magkaroon ng adverse effect sa bakuna,” he added.
Galvez said Senate Bill 2057 and House Bill 8648 would encourage vaccine manufacturers to provide countries with vaccines.
The Senate bill aims to allot P500 million for the country’s indemnification fund.
Galvez earlier said indemnification laws would help prevent delays in the country’s Covid-19 vaccine procurement.
The arrival of the first vaccine doses from the Covax facility—117,000 shots of Pfizer vaccines—was delayed by a week due to the lack of an indemnification law, Galvez added. John Ezekiel J. Hirro