Press Release
Drilon: Blanket immunity for vaccine makers is against the law and public policy
Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said the government cannot grant absolute and blanket immunity to vaccine manufacturers, saying it is against the law and contrary to public policy.
Drilon backed Vaccine Czar Sec. Carlito Galvez who earlier said that the government cannot agree to a full immunity for vaccine manufacturers. Galvez revealed late Wednesday that there are vaccine makers which demand full immunity but said the government cannot do so out of concerns over malpractices and willful misconduct. Under the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act Congress passed last February 22, COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers are immune from suits for claims arising out of the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, but not for willful misconduct or gross negligence, Drilon said.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco expressed hope Tuesday that there would be an earlier rollout of COVID-19 vaccines after the proposed measure seeking to expedite its purchase and administration was already passed on third and final reading before the lower chamber of Congress.
Congress OKs bill to set indemnity fund, expedite vaccine rollout
Updated Feb 23, 2021 10:05:00 PM
enablePagination: false
endIndex:
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) The bill seeking to expedite the purchase of COVID-19 vaccine and rollout of the government s vaccination program hurdled Congress on Tuesday.
The House of Representatives adopted the Senate version of the measure just hours after senators approved it on third and final reading. The lower chamber already approved the bill on Monday.
It will now be sent to President Rodrigo Duterte for his signature. With this measure, we hope to see the start of the inoculation of our population, starting with the priority sectors, at the shortest possible time, Senator Sonny Angara, the sponsor of the bill, said in a statement.
February 23, 2021
Immunization of the population expected to begin with the approval of the COVID-19 vaccination program bill Angara
The Senate has approved on third and final reading the bill that would facilitate the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines by the government.
Senator Sonny Angara, who sponsored Senate Bill 2057 as chairman of the Committee on Finance, welcomed the speedy approval of the measure, which he said will remove the obstacles to the delivery of some of the first doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the country and hasten the inoculation of Filipinos across the country.
A total of 22 senators voted to approve the measure, with no negative votes and no abstentions.
The House of Representatives adopted on Tuesday night, February 23, the Senate version of the COVID 19 Vaccination Program Act 2021, thus, it dispensed with the conduct of a bicameral conference committee passage of the vital measure that will speed up the procurement of vaccine for coronavirus dise