Published December 17, 2020, 2:54 PM
President Duterte told Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to answer allegations that he was to blame for the delay in the country’s acquisition of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Senator Panfilo Lacson, citing Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, revealed that it was Duque who “dropped the ball” on the Philippines’ chance to acquire 10 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, reportedly set for delivery as early as next month.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte holds a meeting with some members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on April 8, 2020.
A top Department of Health (DoH) official insists that its confidentiality data agreement (CDA) with American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer was for data sharing and does not involve supplying the Philippines with its coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the clarification on Friday after Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd had been identified by Sen. Panfilo Lacson as the Cabinet member who “dropped the ball” in the deal with Pfizer.
It all started when Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted that he and Philippine ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez had been assured by US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo of a supply agreement for 10 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, until it was scuttled by a ranking government official.
PH diplomats working to get smaller batch of Pfizer vaccines after botched initial talks
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 18) From the initial talks that would have assured the Philippines 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccines, Filipino officials are back in discussion with the United States drug firm but this time to secure a smaller batch of supplies.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Friday said he and Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Babe Romualdez are back to square one in securing vaccine supply for the country. He and I are trying again. Not same order that went to Singapore; but another one even smaller, Locsin tweeted.
Two US pharmaceutical firms are willing to supply COVID-19 vaccines inquirer.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from inquirer.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Failure to secure Pfizer vaccines by January tragic, almost criminal, says Poe By DONA MAGSINO, CHINO GASTON
Published December 18, 2020 2:54pm The Philippine government s alleged failure to successfully secure 10 million doses of Pfizer vaccines against COVID-19 by January 2021 is lamentable, Senator Grace Poe said Friday. I think it s really tragic and, to an extent, criminal on their part for having missed the chance of acquiring 10 million vaccines, Poe said in an interview on CNN Philippines. Yung leadership ng DOH urong-sulong, hindi makagawa ng desisyon, di makabigay ng tamang rekomendasyon. We missed it. Our chance to get that was given to Singapore because they could act decisively and we can t, she added.