With the urgent certification from the Palace, the House of Representatives on Monday approved the proposed COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021 to expedite the purchase and administration of vaccines.
House Bill 8648, which was approved both on second and third reading, also provides P500-million Covid-19 National Vaccine Indemnity Fund.
The bill was passed by 225 lawmakers with no opposition but with six abstentions.
Under the bill, the P500-million COVID-19 National Vaccine Indemnity Fund, which shall be administered by the PhilHealth, is established to compensate any person inoculated through the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, in case of death, permanent disability or hospitalization confinement for any serious adverse event (SAE).
The fund shall be sourced from the Contingent Fund as provided under RA 11518 or the General Appropriations Act of 2021. The claim for indemnification for serious adverse event directly arising from the administration of COVID-19 vaccine must be filed within five years from the day of inoculation.
The bill also said the DOH and the National Task Force, either through themselves jointly or in cooperation with any national government agency or instrumentality or local government unit, are authorized to procure COVID-19 vaccines, including ancillary supplies and services necessary for their storage, transport, deployment and administration, through negotiated procurement under emergency cases defined in Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.
The bill said provinces, cities and municipalities may also procure or accept donations only in cooperation with the DOH and NTF through a multiparty agreement, which shall include the DOH and the relevant supplier or donor of COVID-19 vaccine.
The bill added these LGUs shall procure no more than 50 percent of their target population for vaccination: Provided, further, that the 50 percent cap may be adjusted by the Inter-Agency Task Force (AITF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases when there is sufficient supply of vaccines as determined by DOH and NTF.
The measure added nothing in this proposal shall prohibit LGUs from procuring directly from manufacturers, or its authorized distributors or suppliers once the COVID-19 vaccines become commercially available.
Also, the bill provides that private entities may procure COVID-19 vaccines only in cooperation with the DOH and NTF through a multiparty agreement, which shall include the DOH and the relevant supplier of COVID-19 vaccine.
It said the national government as well as local government units may only procure or accept donations involving COVID-19 vaccines that are registered with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as evidenced by a valid Certificate of Product Registration or which possess an Emergency Use Authorization.
It also provides tax exemptions for the procurement, importation, storage, transport, distribution, and administration of Covid-19 vaccines. Under the bill, the vaccines will be exempted from customs duties, value-added tax, excise tax, and other fees.
The DOH shall be mandated to issue a vaccine passport to all Filipinos, which shall be a record of the Covid-19 vaccinations received by an individual.
Individuals who have completed Covid-19 immunization may be granted certain benefits or exemptions, such as international travel, non-essential domestic travel, local checkpoint and quarantine exemptions, and access to business establishments.
The bill said the proposed law shall remain in full force and effect during the period of the state of calamity and public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic or until June 30, 2022, unless the state of calamity is earlier lifted or extended by the President of the Philippines.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said this mechanism would ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are “procured and administered in an expeditious, effective, efficient and equitable manner.”
“The next crucible in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is the speedy procurement and effective administration of vaccines against the deadly disease,” Velasco said.
According to Velasco, the LGUs play an important role in ensuring “people are protected, lives are saved, economic losses are stemmed and mitigated, and public trust and confidence in our institutions is restored.”
He said the crucial fight against COVID-19 is the vaccination process of a significant part of the population to attain herd immunity and return to normal, noting that the country could no longer absorb the economic losses of any further restriction in economic activity.