By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – House Minority Leader and Abang Lingkod Partylist Rep. Stephen Paduano said they support the request of local government units (LGUs) for authority to directly buy vaccines for Covid-19 without public bidding.
“We heard the clamor and we support them,” Paduano said in a statement sent to Daily Guardian here Sunday.
“This is the rationale behind House Bill 8648. The fact that the three Leaders of the House are the principal authors of the bill signifies that this is a priority measure.”
HB 8648 has already been approved by the House Committee on Appropriations.
Paduano emphasized that “the proposed measure will authorize LGUs to procure vaccines that have FDA approval only. That is enough guarantee that the vaccines to be procured by LGUs are safe and effective. This way, we will be able to achieve herd immunity in the soonest time possible.”
He added that local chief executives are in a better position to convince their constituents when the vaccines they procure are of their own choosing.
Logistics issues will be handled by suppliers and no longer the burden of the government bureaucracy.
“A deeper analysis of this proposed measure would reveal that this will augment the centralized vaccine program to ensure that private enterprises will mobilize resources in the delivery and storage of vaccines. This will put the LGUs’ funds to good use,” the minority leader explained.
He said the bill will help ensure that red tape will no longer be a hindrance to what every Filipino is wishing for, “a faster way for vaccines to arrive in our country.”
“This will augment scarce resources of the national government and this will show a whole nation approach in addressing this pandemic,” he added.
