Doing good ain’t a sin: Solons slam DOH plan to prevent private firms from buying COVID-19 vaccines

By Billy Begas

Several lawmakers have opposed the draft proposal of the Department of Health (DOH) to prevent companies of ‘sinful’ products to buy COVID-19 vaccines for their employees.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said the draft proposal is practically locking out the cash-strapped government from receiving any form of assistance from the private sector.

Salceda said that despite existing laws and issuances against direct interaction with the so-called “sinful” industries such as tobacco, milk, sugar, soft drinks, and liquor, the DOH are still allowed to do so “when strictly necessary for the latter’s effective regulation, supervision or control.”

“The DOH is really stretching its authority here, and every rule they are introducing on top of all the others seems to just complicate our response without getting anything meaningful against COVID-19 done,” said Salceda.

Under the DOH draft, which is being routed for approval by member agencies of the NTF, firms that produce and sell products that pose health risks to the public shall be barred from partnership with government in procuring or donating vaccines for their employees and families.

Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera said it is “unfair to companies who are just trying to offer solutions and protect their employees as well as their dependents.”

Herrera said these companies are not trying to procure vaccines to sell them to the public.

“The implementation of COVID-19 vaccination program must be free from discrimination,” Herrera said. “It should be open to all, especially since our common goal is to inoculate as much Filipinos as possible to protect them from COVID-19 so we can all return to normal the soonest.”

House Deputy Minority Leader and Marikina City Rep. Estella Quimbo said the government is fortunate that “we have a proactive private sector that has expressed willingness to co-finance the vaccine program and will, in effect, protect as many Filipinos as possible.

“The proposed policy of preventing companies that are deemed to be engaged in activities that are contrary to public health reflects a misappreciation by its proponents of the public health mandate of the DOH during a pandemic,” Quimbo said.

Instead of barring these companies, Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon said the DOH should make it conditional that the vaccines will not be used in any way to directly or indirectly promote or distribute their products.

“DOH should be thinking of ways on how to go around hurdles to vaccine procurement and distribution, instead of being the one putting up obstacles,” Biazon pointed out.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)