President Rodrigo Duterte’s “threat” last weekend to abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement if the United States does not deliver 20 million doses of COVID vaccines may backfire badly on the Philippines, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said Monday.
Lacson said Duterte’s warning could seal our fate to settle for China’s Sinovac instead of the US-made vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
“‘No vaccines, no VFA!’ Treating the Americans like a bunch of yokels might have sealed our fate to settle for China’s Sinovac in lieu of the US-made Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines,” he said in a post on his Twitter account.
No vaccines no VFA! Treating the Americans like a bunch of yokels might have sealed our fate to settle for China’s Sinovac in lieu of the US made Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) December 28, 2020
He branded as “unfortunate” such a pronouncement from Duterte.
In a statement, Lacson noted there could have been a “more diplomatic or at least a better way of asking a longtime ally to help us avail of the vaccines for our people without sounding like we are blackmailing our way into it.”
Earlier reports indicated China’s Sinovac has an efficacy of 50% while Pfizer-BioNTech claims its product’s efficacy is at a much higher 95%. Moderna claims its product’s efficacy is at 94.5%.
On the other hand, Lacson said what is more unfortunate is that the Philippines had a good chance of securing Pfizer vaccines as early as January, had health secretary Francisco Duque III not delayed signing the Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement needed for the deal to push through.
“What is more unfortunate is that we had a good chance to procure vaccines early from the US, but someone from our side dropped the ball, and has yet to be held accountable up to this day,” Lacson said.
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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)
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