The Filipino-Chinese business group hopes to get the tripartite agreement from the government, which is one of the requirements for the private sector’s purchase of the vaccine against COVID-19.
“Malapit na kasi na-review na ni chairman [Carlito] Galvez, it looks ok. Dadaan sa Department of Health so their lawyer is looking into the legal point. So I expect immediately, baka ngayon, lalabas na po. Baka today, if their lawyer says no problem, hopefully,” said Ambassador Francis Chua, former president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Chua explained to TeleRadyo Wednesday morning that the private sector cannot buy the vaccine if it does not enter into a tripartite agreement.
“Hindi pwede kasi it’s an international agreement that all the vaccines should be between government to government. Kahit ang gusto ng gobyerno o si Presidente o si Gen. Galvez na dumeretso, pero may batas po na we would have to have an agreement with government,” said Chua.
Tripartite agreement on getting the vaccine possible: Fil-Chinese biz group
It will be recalled that FFCCCII signed an agreement of 500,000 doses of Sinovac in February. But their order will not be processed without the tripartite agreement.
“Based on global agreement, talagang kailangan po kasama ang gobyern kasi this kind of vaccine private individual could not engage on it. It has to pass through the government,” he clarified.
If the tripartite agreement is obtained, the vaccine they want to get is ready.
“The next issue we would have to schedule yung eroplano. Alam naman ninyo sa ngayon pag scheduling may challenge din,” he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte announced that private firms would be allowed to buy their COVID-19 vaccines “at will,” as the Philippines record all-time high new daily cases of 10,016 on Wednesday.
“I have ordered Secretary [Carlito] Galvez to sign any and all documents that would allow the private sector to import at will, maski anong gusto nilang amount na ipasok, OK sa akin [whatever amount they want to bring in, is OK with me],” Duterte said.