ARMAN BAYLON/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte has approved in principle the emergency use of Covid-19 vaccines to speed up the process of vaccine authorization in the country, Malacañang said on Thursday.
Giving emergency use authorization would allow vaccines to be approved for use in the Philippines within 21 days instead of the six-month frame without the authorization.
“Hindi pa po nailalabas ni presidente ang executive order. Pero kapag nilabas na po iyan ni presidente at sinabi naman ni presidente ilalabas niya iyan, mapapabilis po iyong proseso ng paggamit ng mga bakuna na mayroon na ring authorization sa mga FDAs (Food and Drug Administation) ng mga bansa kung saan na-develop ang vaccines,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque told reporters.
“So ibig sabihin, dati-rati po, bago magamit ang isang bakuna rito na approved na ng US FDA o ng Chinese FDA, kinakailangan muna ng anim na buwan na pagsusuri. Pero kung mapipirmahan po itong executive order na ito, aba’y bente uno araw na lang po ay magagamit na rin natin sa Pilipinas,” he added.
Roque said Duterte, who earlier expressed concern that the country could struggle in the international vaccine supply-and-demand game, had also approved paying in advance for Covid-19 vaccines.
“Kasi kapag hindi po tayo pumayag ay baka mangulelat tayo doon sa mga bansa na makakakuha ng vaccine… noong nakita (ni presidente) iyong listahan ng mga bansang nag-a-advance payment eh hindi naman tayo magpapahuli… Pero dahil nga importanteng masiguro na mayroon po tayong bakuna, pumayag na po siya nung mga tinatawag na advance payments,” he said.
Malacañang earlier reported that the country had secured vaccine supply commitments from developers based in the US, China and the United Kingdom.
The country’s vaccine review panel has reviewed vaccines from 17 suppliers worldwide. John Ezekiel J. Hirro