Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. denied the allegations that there is “favoritism” regarding COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the country.
Galvez responded to the statement of former Health Secretary and now Iloilo Representative Janette Garin that there is “palakasan” or patronage on vaccine distribution.
“Dini-distribute natin ang ating mga vaccine sa mga [Centers for Health Development] ang ating tinatawag na sa mga regional CHD ng DOH at the same time sa mga [local government units] at mayors ng highly urbanized [areas],” he said.
(We distribute the vaccines to the DOH CHD and, simultaneously, to the LGUs and the mayors of highly-urbanized areas.)
“Ang gusto kasi ni former Sec. Garin sa kanya ibigay namin ‘yung doses which is hindi naman tama. Kasi humihingi siya ng allocation. Maguguluhan po ang ibang mga LGUs kasi ‘di siya nasa lineage ng distribution. ‘Yung accounting mahihirapan po tayo at ang administration,” Galvez disclosed.
Galvez denies favoritism on vaccine distribution
(Garin wants the national government to provide her own allocation of the vaccines, which is not the proper procedure. In addition, the LGUs will be confused because she is not part of the lineage of the distribution. We will also have a hard time in accounting and administering the vaccines.)
Galvez noted that some politicians want to use the COVID-19 vaccination program for their own political agenda.
“‘Yung nakikita po kasi namin na gingamit ang vaccine sa politika. ‘Yun ang dini-discourage namin na please do not use the vaccine as a political weapon ang nakikita namin sa poster sila mismo kumukuha sa mga airports. It seems na parang sa kanila galing ang vaccines,” he said.
(We also observe that some are using the vaccines for politics. That is what we discourage. Please do not use the vaccines as a political weapon. We are seeing some who put up posters in airports. It seems like they were the ones who procured the vaccines.)
Meanwhile, Galvez said the national government could inject 70 million first doses of COVID-19 vaccines by November.
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