News By JP SORIANO, GMA News
Published December 17, 2020 3:49am
Updated December 17, 2020 12:09pm But the time for us to be able to get it earlier like Canada, Bahrain, and Singapore and others is gone because we needed to act quickly, says Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Babe Romualdez. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Babe Romualdez doesn t want to dwell on how the Philippines missed its chance to access around 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech as early as January 2021. But the fact, according to Romualdez, remains that the time for the Philippines to get the Pfizer vaccine early is gone because the government failed to submit the required Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement (CDA) on time.
By JOVILAND RITA, GMA News
Published December 17, 2020 2:22pm The Department of Health (DOH) and OCTA Research team said a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country is very likely during and after the holiday season. At a press conference on Thursday, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Philippines may record more infections like the United States and Canada experienced after Thanksgiving. “The likelihood of this surge in the Philippines in the coming holidays is very likely. And we should take this threat very seriously and act immediately to avoid this from happening,” she said. According to Vergeire, the initial projection of OCTA Research and the department’s FASSSTER confirmed ‘high’ likelihood of a surge without interventions.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In an interview with CNN Philippines, Duque said the US-based pharmaceutical company did not give a “definitive” number of vaccine supply for the Philippines in their previous discussions.
“Walang ganon (There was no promise). It was all indicative numbers there was no definitive supply because…in the production of these vaccines as we are talking…meron daw problema sa kanilang raw materials (they are having problems with regard to their raw materials)…there was nothing binding, nothing in our talks so this was all open-ended,” Duque said when asked if Pfizer ever promised to give the country 10 million doses of its vaccine by January.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17) Amid allegations Health Secretary Francisco Duque dropped the ball in the country s vaccine deal with US drugmaker Pfizer, Malacañang says President Rodrigo Duterte does not see any huge mistake on the official s end, but has advised him to address the issue once and for all. I think, from the overall demeanor of the President, wala naman po siyang nakikitang major lapse dahil ang pinag-uusapan po ay kontrata at hindi naman po abogado si Secretary Duque, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during his regular briefing.
[Translation: I think, from the overall demeanor of the President, he doesn t see any major lapse because the thing in question here is a contract and Secretary Duque is not a lawyer to begin with.]
Duterte sees no major lapse by Duque over Pfizer vaccine Palace By VIRGIL LOPEZ, GMA News
Published December 17, 2020 2:45pm President Rodrigo Duterte sees no major lapse on the part of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III amid allegations the Cabinet official bungled an opportunity to secure 10 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as early as January next year. Speaking at a news conference on Thursday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duque was emotional while defending himself before Duterte and other Cabinet members during a meeting on Wednesday night. Duterte, who has repeatedly defended Duque from allegations of corruption and incompetence, asked his Health chief to respond to the accusation involving the vaccine.