By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA News
Published February 16, 2021 10:02am Anakalusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor on Tuesday said the House of Representatives should resolve first with the Senate two issues about the proposal to amend the economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution rather than rushing it. I believe that in rushing Cha-cha, the House is putting the cart before the horse. The House should first resolve with the Senate at least two contentious issues, Defensor said in a statement. One is whether the two chambers need to approve a joint resolution formally convening themselves into a constituent assembly before one or both of them can tackle any amendment proposal. The other issue is whether the two chambers vote separately, he added.
The House Committee on Ways and Means approves a provision to exempt COVID-19 vaccines that will be purchased by LGUs from importation duties and other taxes.
Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said that Metro Manila mayors expressed concern about the proposed House Bill in allowing local government units to negotiate directly with vaccine manufacturers for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.
(Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
The two legislative measures grants LGUs the authority to purchase vaccines for their constituents without observing the stringent procurement regulations provided by Republic Act 9184 or the “Government Procurement Reform Act.”
House Bill 8648 or the “Emergency Vaccine Procurement Act of 2021” is authored by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Minority Leader Joseph Stephen “Caraps” S. Paduano and Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
On the other hand, HB 8649 with the same title as HB 8648 was filed by Quirino Rep. Junie E. Cua.
The two proposals seek to expedite the purchase and administration of vaccines by giving LGU’s exemption from compliance with the strict public bidding requirement under RA 9184.