By ERWIN COLCOL, GMA News
Published February 11, 2021 6:12pm
The measure seeking to allow local government units (LGU) to speed up procurement of COVID-19 vaccines will only cause a "maldistribution" of vaccines based on capacity to pay, the spokesperson for an alliance of healthcare professionals said Thursday.
During a Senate hearing, Dr. Antonio Dans of the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19 expressed his opposition to Senate Bill 2042.
The measure will serve as a "legal cover" allowing LGUs to expedite their procurement of COVID-19 vaccines by exempting them from provisions under the Government Procurement Reform Act.
"If local government units and private entities have the funds to procure vaccines for their constituents and employees, and the manufacturers are willing to deal with them, then let us give them the authority to do so," said Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who sponsors the measure.