No to secret vaccine deals! Escudero says gov’t must bare prices of COVID-19 jabs

Walang secret-secret.

Former Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has opposed the government’s latest practice of forging non-disclosure deals on the coronavirus vaccines bought from foreign suppliers.

Escudero vented his opposition via Twitter, saying the vaccine supply deals using public funds must be made public. Filipinos, he said, deserve to know the price of the vaccines purchased by the government.

“Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) have no place whatsoever whenever PUBLIC FUNDS are used. Congress/COA cannot & should not allow this!!!” he said.

“We have to know the price at which Government bought the vaccines. Transparency & accountability demand nothing less!!!” he said.

The Commission on Audit earlier agreed to scrutinize the government’s vaccine supply contracts despite the non-disclosure agreements with the foreign suppliers. The government earlier refused to bare the prices of the COVID-19 vaccines due to the confidential agreements signed with the suppliers.

Another 3 million doses of the China-made jabs are delivered to the Philippines on August 31, 2021. (Photo: National Task Force Against COVID-19/Twitter)

The government already set aside P82.5 billion for its COVID-19 vaccination program, including allocation for the purchase of more than 148 million coronavirus vaccines. The country so far secured 52.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Of the 70 million target population to be inoculated before end of 2021, more than 14.1 million Filipinos have already been fully vaccinated based on the latest government data.

Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) have no place whatsoever whenever PUBLIC FUNDS are used. Congress/COA cannot & should not allow this!!! We have to know the price at which Government bought the vaccines. Transparency & accountability demand nothing less!!!

— Chiz Escudero (@SayChiz) September 5, 2021

LOOK: The Philippines continues to receive a steady supply of Sinovac vaccines with the arrival of another 3 million doses of the China-made jabs on Tuesday afternoon, August 31. pic.twitter.com/FvLJjQuBZ9

— National Task Force Against COVID19 (@ntfcovid19ph) August 31, 2021

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