The House of Representatives will help “fill the gaps” in the government’s national COVID-19 vaccination program through its ongoing legislative inquiry, according to Bataan 2nd District Rep. Jose Enrique “Joet” Garcia III
The House Committee on Health, chaired by Quezon 4th District Rep. Angelina “Helen” Tan, began its hearing on the government’s national vaccination plan last January 18. The public hearing was prompted by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to ensure that the multibillion-peso budget allocated for inoculation will be used to procure the most effective and safest vaccine against the virus.
“Ito rin naman po ang gusto ni Speaker Velasco, ma-review natin ang national vaccination plan ng DOH para we can give our inputs,” Garcia, vice chair of the House health panel, said during Wednesday’s Ugnayan sa Batasan media forum.
He said that the committee hearing has not only provided sufficient information on the importance of the vaccination program, but also identified gaps that need to be filled.
“Naging malinaw din sa lahat kung anong mga gaps ang kailangan natin i-fill. But we can only do that once we get the data. ‘Yung inventory napakahalaga para malaman natin kung ano pa yung mga kinakailangan,” Garcia said.
The committee was presented the government’s planned rollout of vaccines to the public by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and the government’s vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., among other health and science experts from both the public and private sectors.
Garcia added that Congress might also craft legislation to give compensation for those who might experience adverse effects of the vaccines procured.
“Isa ‘yan sa napag-usapan during the hearing last Monday, if there is a need to come up with a compensation fund,” Garcia said.
“Ang magiging responsible, of course kasama ‘yung DOH (Department of Health), national government. (Sila ang) magiging responsible para dito sa gagawin nating mga pagbabakuna. Baka kinakailangan ng compensation to be legislated.”
Garcia recalled that Tan asked the DOH to be precise in the implementation of the cold storage and supply chain to prevent lapses within the system.
“Nangako naman si Secretary Duque na isa-submit nya sa Kongreso yung pag-identify ng mga facilities, lalo na nga dito sa cold storage, from the national all the way to the local yung inventory,” Garcia said.
Garcia also stressed these data should also be shared to the local government units (LGUs). “Para malaman din po hindi lang ng Kamara, kundi ng ating mga LGU-partners kung ano ang kailangan nilang ihanda from now until the full implementation of the vaccination program,” he said.
Garcia also echoed the importance of a monitoring program for citizens who will be given vaccines.
“Kailangan close to real time ‘yung ating sistema dito para kung meron mang mga side effects, kung meron mang nararamdaman na kakaiba, ay madali po ito maire-report sa DOH,” he said.