Senate President Vicente Sotto III (Senate of the Philippines)
Duterte addressed on Monday, May 10, criticisms relating to his statements during the 2016 presidential debates, when a fisherman asked him about his plans to respond to China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
It was a “pure campaign joke” he said, saying that those who believed his bravado were “stupid” for thinking he would really ride a jet ski to challenge China.
“I knew it was a joke. I’m a jet skier and I knew that it was not possible,” Sotto said in text message sent to reporters.
“And I don’t feel alluded to,” he said of Duterte’s message to those who believed his campaign pledge.
Published May 10, 2021, 5:20 PM
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the government can make use of the humongous congressional insertions the Department of Budget and Management has tagged as “For Later Release” to meet the P20-billion requirement for the procurement of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines for this year.
Lacson raised this possibility following a meeting between him and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and the “three czars” of the government’s COVID response program last Thursday.
According to Lacson, the COVID response czars – vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., testing czar Vivencio Dizon, and contact tracing czar Benjamin Magalong had said the government needs P90-billion for vaccines in 2022, and P20-billion for this year.
Press Release
Why not use the humongous congressional insertions tagged by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as For Later Release (FLR) to meet the P20-billion requirement for COVID vaccines for this year?
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson raised the possibility following a meeting between him and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and the three czars of the government s COVID response program last Thursday. I suggested that the P20 billion can be sourced from the insertions made by lawmakers marked FLR because the implementing agencies concerned were not consulted on the insertions and thus could not implement them, he said in an interview on DWIZ radio Saturday.
Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III
“It removes the claim of some that the drug is illegal,” Sotto said in message to the Manila Bulletin on Saturday, May 8.
FDA director-general Eric Domingo, however, clarified that the CPR issued to a pharmaceutical firm classifies ivermectin as an “anti-nematode drug”, or for expelling parasitic worms.
He did not mention its approval for treating or preventing novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Some lawmakers and doctors have strongly advocated for the use of ivermectin against COVID-19 despite the lack of medical studies proving its efficacy and safety. At present, ivermectin is widely used as an animal drug, and has only been registered as a topical medication for humans with external parasites.
Duterte gov t needs P90 billion for vaccine procurement in 2022
May 7, 2021 5:32 PM PHT
The Duterte government needs P90 billion to buy COVID-19 vaccine doses in 2022, Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Friday, May 7.
Lacson said in a statement that this was among the red tape issues and the funding needs hindering the country s fight against COVID-19 that he and Senate President Vicente Sotto III discussed with vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr, testing czar Vince Dizon, and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, contact tracing czar on Thursday night, May 6.
The P90 billion for vaccine procurement in 2022 would be included in the budget of the Department of Health, he said. This is to be itemized for vaccines, instead of putting it under the Unprogrammed Fund, thus ensuring its availability, Lacson said.